Come back to me
by mimijag
Summary: After the birth of their daughter, Tom is suddently arrested at Downton and send back to Ireland. Will they see each other again ? Thanks to Vicky for the beta reading. Multi chpters story
1. Chapter 1

It's been three months since their escape from Ireland. Three long months. And Downton never felt like home for Tom, not even when the danger to be injured, jailed, or killed was real. But this morning, as Sybil was moving and moaning under him, it did. Yes, it did feel like home because he knew now that home was where the loves of his life were.

His wife and now his one month old daughter who was sleeping in her cradle not so far away.

Kissing his lover to muffle her cry of pleasure, he quickened his pace to reach his own peak. It's been so long since their last time together. But this morning, he didn't think it was possible for him to be happier. He was making love to his beautiful wife while their child was sleeping peacefully.

In the aftermath of their lovemaking, as they were both breathing heavily and still joined, they missed to hear the loud voices and protest cries coming from downstairs and they both jumped when the door of their room opened suddenly. Not understanding what was going on, they looked with utterly bewildered eyes two men wearing brown coats burst in followed by some members of the Crawley's house.

"What the hell…" stammered Tom, pulling on the sheet to cover their naked bodies.

Trying to understand what it was all about, he missed the hiccups of indignation coming from a large part of his family in law except from Matthew who would have find the whole situation rather comical if it had not been so serious .

"Tom Branson?"

"Yes", he answered hesitantly, feeling Sybil's arms tightening around him.

"You're under arrest for the Drungore Castle's fire. Come with us… please", added the man remembering where he was.

"Wh… what?"

"Get up now, and come with us", said the other man, louder.

Tom stared at them a few seconds then, his mind seeming to register the events, turned his head to Sybil and saw the tears forming in her eyes. They both thought they were safe here in Downton but apparently, they were wrong. And they both know that if he did follow these guys, there was a big chance for them to never see each other again.

But for now, he couldn't see how not to comply so he rolled on his back and, after rubbing his face to completely awakening himself, he sighed:

"Can we have some minutes of intimacy, please?" He asked the men while trying to avoid the heavy looks of reproach launched at him by a silent family.

The two policemen consulted together and threw a brief look towards the window. Using the force in front of this aristocratic family would be useless except to feed a possible controversial. This criminal will pay later for what he did. The road was long up to Ireland and who knew what could happen on the way.

With a cold voice, the most unpleasant guy said:

"Alright. Five minutes. And don't try to run away. We've got men stationed downstairs."

Tom nodded and, while everybody was leaving the room silently, he took Sybil in his arms.

"I don't want you to follow them, she moaned between tears".

"I don't have a choice. I'm so sorry my love."

"I can't let you go. Not now. Not ever. I thought my father had it all sorted out ".

"Seems like the minister changed his mind and…"

He couldn't finish his phrase because of loud knocks against the door.

"Hurry up," bawled one of the men.

Tom withdrew himself from Sybil's embrace and got up. He hastily gathered a few clothes and began getting dressed while trying to ignore the bearing eyes of his wife on him.

"I have to go. I think I already have humiliated your family enough. I'd rather not to drag this more than necessary."

"Don't say such stupid things, Darling," cried Sybil, climbing out of bed." You didn't humiliate anyone."

"Really? "Breathed Tom in her neck as her still naked body just threw itself in his arms.

They hugged a few seconds before some new knocks could be heard.

"Should we come in to pick you up?"

"I'm coming", answered Tom with weariness.

"No…"struggled Sybil, clutching to him like if her life depended on him…and it did.

"I love you", he breathed in her neck before catching her arms to force her to let him go.

"You know what it means if you do follow them", said Sybil while slipping on her dressing gown to cover herself.

Tom who was heading to his daughter's crib to take her stopped in his track and, without looking back to his wife, said in a defeated voice:

"Yes", he breathed looking down. We'll probably never be together again.

He leaned towards his daughter that this entire bustle had awakened and took her in his arms. He fussed over her a few moments, murmuring Irish's words that only she could hear before turning at last to Sybil who was now silently crying.

"Whatever's happening, I want you both to be happy. Don't cry on me."

"How can you ask me that?" Retorted Sybil, shaking her head.

"Please", said Tom imploring her with his eyes." I won't be able to endure what awaits me if I know you're unhappy. I know I hurt you and I can't go back or erase what I did. I didn't realize that my acts had also consequences for you. So, please, let me ask you to try to be happy and to forget me."

"Oh Tom !"

Sybil threw herself again in his arms as he was about to open the door and they hugged a last time, their daughter trapped between them.

"It's time", said Tom before leaning toward Sybil for one last kiss. "I love you."

They put all they had in this last kiss. Their doubts, their hopes and above all, their love. Then, after a last embrace, Tom leaned back and let his free hand slip on his wife's cheek to wipe her tears without noticing his own flowing freely.

Then, he turned back to the door, took a big breath and opened it, knowing that from this instant, his life no longer had meaning and that he was going to the unknown. He stepped in the corridor, his daughter still coiled against him and holding his wife's hand with his free one. The first thing he noticed was his family in law that was standing upright, stoic, not showing any feeling except the humiliation visible in Lord Grantham's bearing. He only managed a few steps before the two men posted themselves in front of him to block his way.

"We have to handcuff you. Please, give the baby away."

"Is it really necessary? I won't run away."

"Sorry, we have well precise orders."

Tom stared at the man and understood with the grin that draw on his mouth's corner that he was everything but sorry. Not seeing any other way than to resign himself, he nodded, kissed his daughter's head and turned toward Sybil.

"I love you", he said giving her their daughter.

"I love you more than everything", she answered, taking her daughter and raising up to kiss her husband's lips.

A sob pierced the silence behind them and, while the men handcuffed him, Tom turned to see that it was Edith who Matthew was trying to comfort, an arm around her shoulders under the disapproving look of Mary. His own eyes crossed with his brother in law's ones and, after a silent exchange and a light nod from Matthew, Tom turned again to follow the men who were ordering him to go on. He knew that Matthew would take care of his family and protect them against the Grantham's hold if that became necessary. They had a long conversation a few weeks ago in case things would turn bad.

The long silent and astonish procession headed toward the hallway. First, there were the two policemen followed by a handcuffed Branson who was moving with his head law to avoid disapproving glares from the employees of the house who were gathered in the lobby to attend his ultimate humiliation. He already could imagine Carson showing him like an example to avoid such a shame again at Downton. _"You need to remain at your rank,"_ he could hear. Behind them, were the Crawley who were trying to keep straight faces despite the situation.

When they at last reached the front steps, Tom blinked a few times because of the outside bright light. Two more men were waiting for them close to a vehicle and, as Tom stopped a moment on top of the steps to turn one last time toward his wife, he was pushed brutally in his back by one of his guardian.

"Go on, we don't have all the day."

Tom felt his feet gave away under him and he rushed down the stairs despite himself while trying to keep his balance with his handcuffed hands.

"You don't need to be brutal", said Sybil with indignation while joining her husband downstairs.

Holding their daughter against her, she threw her free arm around his neck and kissed him fully on the mouth, not caring about the knowledge if her family would be shocked or not. After all, she didn't know when or if she would see him again. Tom replied fiercely to her kiss but their farewell was promptly shortened by the taller man who caught Sybil's arm and pulled her out from her husband with virulence.

"Back down Young Lady", he scolded.

The difference of corpulence and the suddenness of the gesture made Sybil stumble backwards but, fortunately for her, Matthew stopped her fall by slipping behind her. Tom felt something snap in him and couldn't contain his anger.

"Don't touch my wife", he threatened taking a step to the man.

"Or what? "He snickered.

Tom's blood boiled and he rushed with his lowered head toward the man who retorted by stretching his fist. It crashed into Tom's face and sent him to the ground. Matthew took a step forward to help his brother in law to rise but Mary held him back by his arm.

"Don't move", she ordered through tight teeth.

"Come on, get up you bastard", said the man pulling Branson to a standing position without any consideration.

Tom felt the taste of blood filling his mouth and his jaws were hurting like hell but he knew that was probably nothing compared to what awaited him.

"Climb in there!" Continued the man, pushing him in the vehicle.

And while the bar doors closed on him, Tom dared at last to look up at the people gathered in front of the house or rather to his wife which silent tears broke his heart. He was aware for having ruined everything but especially for not having been able to keep at his words. He promised her to devote every waking minute of his life to her happiness and everything was showing he failed.

The vehicle started up with a big rumble and drive off. Tom rushed against the rear doors where there was a little opening with bars and he clung at it, putting all his forces at keeping his eyes on the woman he loved and that he was abandoning with his daughter.

"I love you, My Love", he cried desperately. "I love you. I'm so sorry…"

His voice became very faint in the immensity of Downton's park as the vehicle drove away and Sybil just stared her husband's figure which was disappearing little by little from her view, enable to move. She felt completely emptied, not in the present time, as if her mind was elsewhere…it was as if someone just took away from her a part of herself.

"Sybil, she heard her mother called."

But she didn't answer. She didn't want to talk to anybody. She just wanted to stay here with her daughter against her chest and look at the road that just took her husband away, hoping to see the vehicle come back, to see these men bring him back saying that it was a mistake. She stared at the ribbon of mud, believing that if she thought about it hard enough, it would happen. But in vain…

"Sybil", she heard again.

It was her father this time and, as a magical trick, the sound of his voice seemed to shake her out of her numb state. His voice was like a hard wake up. She remembered he was supposed to have taken care of everything, that he said they were safe as long as they remained at Downton. She even argued with Tom about it, insisting to stay while he only wished to go back to Ireland to pursue his fight. And nevertheless, today, her husband just had been cruelly taken away from her.

The hand he put down on her shoulder to have her attention completely waked her and she turned abruptly to face her father, her eyes shining with anger.

"Don't touch me!" She said through squeezed teeth.

Startled by her reaction, Lord Grantham took a step back.

"You did nothing", she scolded…"You said nothing. No", she corrected herself while pointing at her family with her finger which was watching her with dismay. "YOU did nothing, YOU said nothing. You just let them and now…"

A new wave of sobs overwhelmed her and, without waiting one more second, she quickly run up the front steps and rushed in the house.


	2. Chapter 2

After the morning events, Downton was almost back to normal. It was quiet. Only the discreet noise of the maids doing their chores could be heard in the silence of the big house.

Informed of her granddaughter's husband arrest by Mary, The Dowager Countess didn't lose one minute and had immediately come to the Abbey to have the full report of the events. Sybil's wedding with the chauffeur had already sullied enough the family's reputation and each new incident could be disastrous for her.

The family had decided to let some space to Sybil and they were all gathered in the library, Violet not restraining herself to comment the report with her caustic remarks.

"And they were really…"

"Yes", confirmed Mary. "It was so embarrassing."

"I can imagine that!" Exclaimed Violet while giving a cane blow on the ground. "They really have no manner."

"I don't think they were expecting any visitors at this time either", sighed Matthew who was standing near the window. "And they're married after all."

"Matthew !" Said Mary.

"What?" He replied back while rolling his eyes." I don't understand why you all seem scandalized by the fact they were making love in THEIR room. They're married AND in love," he added with some regret in his voice.

"What do you mean by that?" Asked Mary suddenly on the defensive.

"Nothing", sighed Matthew." I just think we rather focus on a way to help Tom, that's it."

"What do you suggest?" Asked Robert who was leaving his silence at last.

"I don't' know", answered Matthew a little bit upset. "The minister had guaranteed you their safety here. I think we could start by finding out what…"

He was interrupted by Sybil's appearance on the library's doorstep.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you Matthew. I won't be long. I just came to tell you that I'll take the train to London tonight and the first boat to Dublin tomorrow morning."

"What?" They all exclaimed.

"You heard me well. I'm leaving to look after Tom. And if I can't bring him back, then I want to be near him to help as much as I can."

"It's not safe, Sybil," Cora said while getting up from the couch to go to her daughter." It's too dangerous and you'll be arrested as soon as you put a foot out of the boat."

Sybil shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't care if it gets me closer to Tom. I'm sorry but I can't stay doing nothing. If there is any hope to bring him back…"

She swallowed, the ball in her throat threatening to explode.

"If there is the slightest hope," she said again, "then I want to try everything."

"And your daughter?" Asked Mary. "You can't seriously think of taking her with you."

"No, that's true. And that's why I wanted to ask you to take care of her while I'm away. I could leave her with Tom's mother but I don't want to worry her as long as we don't know much more. I'll just call Tom's older brother."

"I can't let you do this. It's insane. I won't allow it…"

"I don't need your blessing anymore, dad," interrupted Sybil while throwing at him a hard look." You were supposed to have arranged everything so I stopped asking for your advice. You surely think he deserves this anyway. I even suspect you for this twist of the events. Maybe you're the one who made the minister change his mind. After all, it's a way like another to get rid of an offending son- in- law."

"You have no right to talk to me like that", cried Robert, red with anger.

"Anyway, I made my decision," she answered back while disregarding the anger of her father. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to pack."

Without another word, Sybil disappeared in the hallway, letting her own family completely stunned.

"She lost her mind", said Robert while shaking his head. "This man has alienated her. I don't see another explanation for this behavior."

"Or maybe she's simply in love with him," breathed softly Matthew.

Robert grumbled.

"I knew I shouldn't have let her read all these books. She now thinks she's some sort of romantic heroin. Someone had to tell her that stories not always ending in a good way."

"You have to ask for another meeting with the minister, Robert", said Violet. "If we can't dissuade her from leaving, then we can at last avoid her arrest over there. You have to convince them that Sybil doesn't represent any danger."

"It's not worth it", he said. "They already know it. Sybil is safe in Ireland. From the authorities at last."

"What do you mean? "Asked Cora. "I thought they were both under an arrest warrant."

"I lied," sighed Robert.

"What?" Everybody cried.

"I lied. For their own good I swear. Only Branson risked to be arrested. The minister assured me they had nothing against Sybil. They were only interested in her as bait if they couldn't have Branson. So I only negotiated their solicitude for him. But I was afraid that if he decided nonetheless to go back to Ireland, Sybil would follow him so… But I honestly don't know what change the minister's mind. Now that they have him, Sybil is no longer in any danger."

There's been a short silence in the room where everyone seemed to weight Robert's words.

"Does someone know if he started to write again? Maybe he sent an article that awakened the minister's anger?" Proposed Edith that the whole situation was overwhelming.

"I saw him a few times writing in the office but I don't know what he was doing exactly or even if he sent his work to publication," commented Cora.

Everyone was looking for an explanation to this change of situation when Matthew's voice could be heard.

"I'll go", he said at last." I'll go with Sybil."

"Matthew! It's dangerous for an Englishman over there. Even more for an aristocrat one!" Groaned Mary.

"I'll be careful. And I won't be alone. Sybil will probably contact some members of Tom's family so I'll be surrounded by Irishmen. It's always better than being all alone on a foreign land."

"You don't have to do it, honey."

"I think so. I promised Tom that I'll take care of Sybil if things turned bad. And Tom is family and also became my friend. I owe him. And Sybil's right. We have to tried something to get him out of this mess. If only in order to have no regret for not having try something"

"It's very kind of you, Matthew," pointed Cora while glancing at her husband whose jaw had tightening.

"Tell me if you need anything for the trip," finally said Robert.

Matthew nodded his head towards him before turning to Mary.

"I'm gonna go to tell the news to Sybil. I'll meet you in our bedroom."

Mary nodded with a small sign before letting her eyes fall in her laps where her hands were twisting. All this thing just seemed to be wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

Sybil was lost in her thoughts. Her suitcase was open on the bed but still empty. She was standing near her daughter's cradle and the baby was watching her with her big blue and round eyes. _« You've got your father's eyes »_, she said softly while wondering if she could drown again in her husband's ones one day.

He had been taken away from her only a few hours ago but it already seemed like an eternity to her. Yet, she still could feel his presence everywhere in the room. From his jacket, negligently put at the end of the bed, to his books on the bedside table. And his smell…it was everywhere. Overwhelmed by a new wave of tears, Sybil ran off to the bed. With a furious gesture, she sent the suitcase flying on the floor and threw herself on the soft quilt which had, a few hours ago, protected them from the prying looks of their family. She buried her head into the pillow to stifle her sobs but also to get drunk with his smell. She wanted to forget it all. She wanted to go back when, at dawn, she had felt his hand climb from her stomach to her breasts.

A knock against the door made her jump and she sighed while wiping the tears on her cheeks.

"Leave me alone. I won't change my mind", she screamed to the person who was standing on the other side of the door. "Go away! I don't want to see anybody unless you're bringing my husband back."

"I'm not here to change your mind", answered softly Matthew. "And I'm sorry I don't have the power to bring Tom back but, can I come in, please?"

Sybil sighed again. She didn't know if that was his voice or because he called her husband by name but she changed her mind. So she got up and, not bothering with her appearance, she went to the door. She opened it and without waiting for Matthew to get in, she went to pause in front of the big open closet and stayed here, as if what was lying inside was suddenly the most interesting thing in the world.

"You can tell them that I won't change my mind", she finally said." I have to find him."

"Like I said, I'm not here to change your mind but to tell you that I'll come with you."

Sybil hiccupped in surprise and finally turned towards him. Matthew's heart tightened upon seeing her tangled hair but especially her eyes reddened and puffed because of all the tears. And yet, she had this so determined look on her face, this look that was telling him that nothing could stop her.

"This can't be negotiated", he added softly with a sad smile.

"You want Mary to kill me, right? She won't let you go", answered Sybil somewhat relieved for not having to face everything alone.

Matthew chuckled.

"I'll handle Mary, don't worry."

"I can't ask you that", she said while shaking her head. "It could be dangerous over there. And if something happened to you, I could never forgive myself…nor could my sister or my father."

"Like I said, it can't be negotiated. I promised Tom I'll watch over you and that's exactly what I'm gonna do."

Sybil shuddered lightly by hearing her husband's name and he took a step towards her.

"We'll find a way to get him back", he said putting a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"And if we can't?" She answered softly before crying again.

Not having an answer to this difficult question, Matthew took her in his arms, trying to comfort her. And if, indeed, they couldn't do anything for him? His eyes slipped towards Eireen's cradle. The baby was gently babbling, completely unaware of the drama taking place. Why couldn't they have some rest? wondered Matthew, remembering that a few weeks ago, Tom had almost lost both his wife and baby. So, as he was lulling Sybil in his arms to absorb as much sorrow as he could, he swore to do all that was in his power to try to reunite this family again.


	4. Chapter 4

The voyage has been long and trying. The sea has been wild and Sybil didn't really have a sea foot. Once the boat docked alongside the pier, she had called Tom's older brother. After telling him briefly the situation, she asked him to meet them at the Kilmainham's prison, the place where most of the prisoners of the Irish rebellion were locked up.

The three of them were now standing in front of the impressive building, each of them knowing deep inside that the following minutes were maybe the most important of their lives. For Sybil in particular, this moment was serious. She absolutely had to succeed in getting her husband out, even if it meant to drop all of her savings because, if she trusted what Tom's brother told her, he only had a small luck of getting out alive from this place where the most horrible tortures were common. And it was out of the question for her daughter to grow up without her father. Tom and she promised themselves to grow old together and she was determined to fulfill this promise.

After taking a deep breath, she pushed the heavy door and rushed in followed by her two companions. The mood in there was gloomy and Sybil couldn't contain a shiver by hearing far away someone yelling from pain. Despite the fear, she went to a small front desk with a sinister looking guy standing behind it.

"Good morning, Sir," she said trying to keep her voice from shivering. "I would like to see the Director, please."

The man eyed her scornfully, and her two companions too without hiding his bother to be disturbed like that.

"Who's asking?" He asked with a rough voice.

"I'm Sybil Branson. It's about my husband".

"Branson ? It doesn't ring any bell."

"Is it possible to talk to the Director, please?" She urged.

"You have to take an appointment."

Sybil took a deep breath to try to calm herself and to contain the fit of anger she was feeling growing up in her because of the evident ill will of the man

"Listen, I took a long trip to see him. I know the English minister and I'm sure he wouldn't like to see the way you are treating me," she bluffed.

Matthew winced at the tactic used by Sybil because he knew it could be go wrong at any time.

"Good morning, Sir. I'm Matthew Crawley, Lord Grantham's heir. This lady is my sister-in-law and we would be very grateful if you could let us see the Director."

"Do you have a recommendation from the minister?" Asked the man.

Matthew and Sybil exchanged an anxious look.

"No," answered Sybil. "But I'm sure that if you call my father, Lord Grantham, he could…"

"Don't bother. So, you're a Lady…I find the story interesting enough to let you go. Don't go anywhere, I'll get the director."

The man disappeared in a long corridor and the three friends relaxed lightly.

"Nice move", said Matthew.

"It was a dangerous one", added Declan.

Sybil shrugged her shoulders.

"I had to try everything."

"Maybe I better wait outside," said Declan." I think it's better for you to go alone. Irish people aren't very welcomed in the area."

Sybil nodded, went to him and put her hand on his forearm.

"I promise you to try everything to get Tom out of here."

"My brother is a very lucky man to have you, Milady", answered Declan with a little wink to emphasize the nickname he used.

Sybil rolled her eyes but the sinister man's arrival stopped her to answer

"I will see you later," breathed Declan while heading to the door. Good luck.

Sybil softly smiled at him before turning back to the man.

"Mrs Branson, Mr Crawley, the Director is waiting for you. Please, come with me."

Matthew and Sybil followed the man. And, as they were walking in long and dark corridors where were echoing almost inhuman cries, Sybil thought how much she was grateful to have Matthew by her side, the comforting hand he had put on her back giving her the strength to move on.

On the outside, Declan was sitting on a bench facing the big prison's door. He had withdrawn his cap and, his head low, was prying silently for his brother, for that his wife could get him out of this hell.

/ / / /

Sybil didn't know since how much time they had been walking in the prison's labyrinth but it seemed like an eternity. She looked briefly at Matthew who seemed to be lost in his thoughts but he had a light frown on his face. He was too beginning to wonder if they weren't taken straight to a cell and not to the Director's office.

Sybil was about to voice her concern when the man stopped at last in front of a door. He knocked sharply against the wood.

"Come in! "Yelled a voice from inside.

"Mrs Branson and Mr Crawley", announced the sinister man before stepping aside to let them in.

Matthew and Sybil stepped in the room and a man in his fifties got up from behind his desk to greet them.

"Good morning, please seat down", he said while pointing two chairs in front of his desk with his hand.

"Good morning", managed Sybil while sitting.

Her throat was more and more tight. The room was like the rest of the building: dark and gloomy. The floor and shelves were littered with piles of files and papers. Big iron bars were in front of the windows and were preventing the daylight to come in. At the back of the room, there was another door with another man in front of it, his look as sinister as the one of the desk front man.

"How can I help you?" Asked the Director, shaking Sybil out of her thoughts.

"I'm coming directly from England," began Sybil." It's about my husband. He has been arrested two days ago at Downton Abbey. And he's blamed for something he didn't do so all this is an unfortunate mistake and…"

"Most of those who are brought here say that they didn't do what they're accused of, you know," interrupted the Director.

"Mr… ?"

"McAllister."

"Mr McAllister," said Matthew. "Mr Branson is my brother-in-law and I can assure you that he never set the fire at anything. He doesn't deny the fact he was actually over there when the Drungore Castle's fire happened but, you know, he is a journalist. He was just there to do his job, not to take part in the rebellion", finished Matthew, putting as much assurance he could in his voice.

The director glanced at them, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could help you but it's impossible. Even if I wanted to."

"I don't understand," answered Sybil whose heart was beating fast." If it's a question of money, we can…"

The director left his hand to stop her.

"It's not a question of money. I can't help you only because prisoner Branson is dead," he said coldly.

A heavy silence felt on the room, quickly shattered by a thump coming from the backroom. All the stares went towards the closed door and the Director ordered the man by a sign of his head to go and see what was happening.

"Sorry, we are invaded by rats."

"Big ones, apparently", retorted Matthew eyeing the Director with suspicion.

"We can't get rid of them. They proliferated like plague these last days."

The Director cleared his throat and changed the discussion.

"Like I was saying, I'm sorry but your husband is dead."

"Dead?" She breathed, seeming register at last what she, at first, thought she had misunderstood.

"How is it even possible? "Asked Matthew taking Sybil's hand to support her.

"He tried to escape just after the boat's arrival à Dublin. My men couldn't do otherwise than shoot. Unfortunately, one of the bullets was fatal for him."

"I can't believe you," said Sybil, slipping her hands between her knees to hide their shaking. "Tom would never have done that. He surrendered without any resistance, it's not to run away once in Dublin. He had a family waiting for him; he would never take such a risk."

"You could be surprised of what these men are capable when facing the threat to be put in jail, Madame."

"Why nobody called us?" Asked Matthew.

"I'm sure the necessary has been made as you were travelling to Dublin. Unfortunately, I'm afraid you did this long trip for nothing."

"I want to see him", announced Sybil with a faint voice.

"Sybil", said softly Matthew while squeezing her hand. "Tom is dead."

"I want to see his body", she said again and looking up at Matthew with watery eyes. "And I want to take him back home."

"I suppose you can help us with that, Mr McAllister?" Asked Matthew.

The man shook his head.

"Once again, I'm sorry. But Tom Branson was considered like a dangerous rebel and a traitor. And as one, his body had been thrown in the public grave at Ballsbridge."

Sybil's body shook with a violent jolt and she got up all of a sudden, surprising the two men. The worst had happened. She went right to the office's door and opened it with a sharp gesture before stopping.

"Thank you for your help, Mr McAllister", she said with a trembling voice, her head low and without looking at him." I'm sorry for wasting your time. Matthew ?"

Matthew pursed his lips by hearing Sybil's voice full of distress. He got up reluctantly under the Director's gaze which held no compassion. Matthew was feeling that something was not going the way it should around here and he had the feeling that the entire truth hadn't been told regarding Tom's death. And he was determined to use all his acquaintances as a lawyer to find out what it was but, for now, his only concern had to be Sybil. He had to be there for her after the terrible news they just heard like he promised Tom. And he was highly suspecting that the young woman was trying her best to not fall apart in front of this horrible person.

So, he went to the door to join her but a new thump could be heard from the backroom and he paused.

"You should take care of your rats," he said to the Director, turning towards him. "They seem to be more than virulent."

"Don't worry about that," answered Mr McAllister. "We have the things in control and we have good hope to exterminate them all not before long."

Matthew was not a fool about the double meaning of their exchange like he perfectly knew that it probably weren't rats doing this entire row. But whatever or whoever it was, Matthew send a silent prayer to those who had to confront the men of McAllister before following Sybil who had disappeared in the corridor.

They walked back in a heavy silence, Matthew respecting Sybil's reserve. When they reached the front door, he opened it and took a step aside to let her out. She ran down the front steps before stopping abruptly, her body shaking suddenly with sobs.

"Oh Tom !"She moaned before feeling her knees gave away beneath her.

With two big steps, Matthew was near her and caught her before she fell. He hugged her and stroked her back.

"Let it go, Sybil. Let it go. It's alright to cry…"

Over her shoulders, he saw Declan who was coming slowly towards them. He glanced at Matthew with a questioning look and Matthew shook his head. Declan lowered his head and joined Sybil in her grief. Husband and brother: they had both just lost a part of themselves.

"Take me to see him", sobbed Sybil in his neck after a few minutes." Take me to Ballsbridge."

"You're sure you want to go? It's gonna be hard, Sybil."

"I have to go", she said sniffing and taking a step back." I have to say goodbye."


	5. Chapter 5

As expected, it had been hard at Ballsbridge. There was nothing to stand in silence for apart from a heap of mud freshly turned. How to know where Tom was exactly resting? So Matthew had been the helpless witness of Sybil's and Declan's distress and grief, letting them cry in each other's arms in front of the unlikely burial place.

He was now in Tom and Sybil's flat, as Declan had to leave to tell his mother the death of her son. Sybil hadn't had the courage to go with him, rather preferring to stay at the place that had sheltered, for too brief months, her happiness with her husband. They had planned to come back here with their daughter or son when things would have calm down in Ireland. But, unfortunately for them, it wouldn't happen, never, Tom having added his name on the already too long list of victims.

Sybil could hear Tom say that it was the price of freedom but it was too soon for her to already admit it. The fight for the independence of a country she barely knows had taken her husband away from her. That's all she could say for now.

On their way to the flat, Matthew had phoned Downton to give them the latest news. And as he was suspecting it, nobody had informed the abbey's residents of the fate of one of the members of their family. Mary had been shocked by the news and had informed Matthew that she would tell the rest of the family herself before begging him to come back as soon as possible with her sister.

He heard a shattering noise coming from the kitchen followed by what seemed like Gaelic curse. He quickly rose from his seat to join his sister-in-law that he found prostrate on the ground in the middle of porcelain's fragments, silent tears flowing down her cheeks.

"I just wanted to make some tea", she breathed when she felt his presence.

Matthew leaned down and helped her to get up.

"Go and seat, he said. I'll deal with that."

"No!" She exclaimed while getting out of his embrace. "I need to keep my mind busy. It's too dangerous to stay alone with my thoughts for now."

"So let me to help you at last."

Sybil nodded and they worked side by side, Sybil making the tea and Matthew sweeping out the fragments.

When the tea was ready and the kitchen tidied up, they went to the sitting room. Sybil filled the cups with shaking hands and then flopped on the sofa.

"What am I going to do now?" She asked with a faint voice.

"You're gonna come back with me to Downton and take the time to think about it. You can't stay here alone. At last for now."

"But the flat, I have to…"

"I'm a lawyer, Sybil. I can find someone to take care of that. We'll talk about it and when you'll have made a decision, we'll see about what to do."

"Thank you, Matthew. Thank you to be here with me and to…help me."

She looked at him with gratitude.

"I…"

She stopped suddenly and stared at him.

"What?" He asked, seeing she was staring at him with some sort of sadness in her eyes.

Sybil shook her head.

"Nothing. It's just that…seeing you sitting here…This armchair was Tom's favorite. He loved to sit there, near the window to read his newspaper and drink his tea."

"I'm sorry", said Matthew while getting up suddenly." If only I knew, I wouldn't…"

Sybil stopped him with her hand and a sad smile.

"Please, sit down. It's just that it made me realized that I won't probably be able to live here without him…Everything is remembering me of the life we had together. His presence is everywhere. It would be too hard."

Not knowing what to answer to this revelation, Matthew just put a comforting hand on Sybil's forearm and silence fell in the room as they were drinking their tea. Matthew took advantage of this time to acknowledge his environment. The flat wasn't very big but furnished with taste and simplicity. He could perfectly imagine Tom and Sybil living here and be happy. He could see them discussing their day after work, at night near the fire, squeezed up against together on the small sofa and a point of envy pinched his stomach. He envied a few minutes this simple happiness that they probably shared when his way of living at Downton could sometimes be very constraining.

His thoughts were stopped by Sybil who was talking to him and he had to make her repeat her words because he was so lost in his daydreaming.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I was saying that I should go to pick a few things to bring back at Downton."

"Do you need help?"

"I don't think so. I'll call you if I need anything."

Matthew nodded and watched her leave and disappear in the hallway that was leading to the bedrooms, the young woman's figure bending under the weight of sorrow.

While waiting for Sybil's return, he decided to clean the tea tray. He was coming out of the kitchen when he heard her calling after him.

"Matthew ?"

"I'm coming."

In a few big steps, he was on the bedroom doorstep, bedroom he guessed was theirs. A big bed was standing at one side while at the other side, there were a wardrobe and a dressing table. Near the bed, in the room's angle, there was a cradle. That was where Sybil was standing, her fragile figure clinging to the wood. She was crying again.

"How can I help you?" He asked.

"Do you think…do you think we could bring it back to Downton with us? I know it's very bulky but…"

"We can manage, I guess. Maybe it will have to leave with another boat but I think it's makeable. I'll talk about it with Declan."

"Thank you. Tom made it. For Eirin. And I would like her to have it."

"It's beautiful."

"Yes", she answered dreamily while letting her hand travel on the cradle's side." It took him months but he was so proud of it. We thought to be back for the birth so…"

"Don't worry. Eirin will sleep in it soon. It's a promise."

Sybil smiled weakly at him before squeezing around her a long wool vest rather shapeless that she had put on. Matthew raised an eyebrow and Sybil chuckled slightly.

"That's a little bit less beautiful, isn't it?"

"I didn't say a thing."

"I can read it in your eyes."

Sybil went to seat on the bed and played absentmindedly with the end of the too long sleeves that were covering her hands.

"I made it for Tom. His mother gave me a few knitting lessons and I offered it to him for our first Christmas here. But I have to say that I'm not very good at it."

Sybil sighed.

"But he didn't say a thing. He just smiled and kissed me as if I just gave him the most beautiful present in the world. And since this day, he was wearing it every night to read his newspaper in his armchair near the window."

Sybil curled up even more in the wool piece and smelled a sleeve.

"It has his smell. It's like if he was here and was hugging me in his arms", she said with a quivering voice.

Matthew saw Sybil's face twist with pain and he realized that she was about to burst in tears again. So he went to the bed and took her in his arms just when the first wave hit her. He let her express her sorrow, feeling his shirt becoming wet but just smoothing her back with his hands.

"I'm sorry to be like this", sobbed Sybil against his chest.

"You have all the rights to be", answered Matthew.

Sybil let herself go on her pain during long minutes before calming down little by little. Then, when the sobs stopped, Matthew felt her withdrawing from him.

"Take me back to Downton", she sniffed. "Take me back, I need to see my daughter. She's all I have left from her father."

"That's like if it was already done", said Matthew while kissing her head.

He promised Tom to take care of Sybil. And he knew that the young woman was going to need him and her family to bear the next few months. He was feeling a little bit like her big brother now and had to protect her. She lost her husband, but her best friend too, her soul mate and somehow her life a little bit. She had wanted to escape the life that was waiting for her at Downton but she was now more or less forced to go back in there. He didn't know what Sybil would decide in the future: to stay at Downton or to come back live in Ireland. But what he knew was that he made a promise to Tom and that he will help Sybil in her decision, whatever it was.


	6. Chapter 6

_**My dear readers, just a few words to thank you for reading at first then to tell you that life is crazy with me at this moment. Both my parents are in hospital and I've been sick myself so I have little time to me between them and work. Meaning, no time in the week-ends to write. So, you have to be patient with me but don't worry, there will have THE END word. Things should calm down a bit in a few days. Enjoy this little chapter and reviews are always welcomed. xx**_

The travel back had been a lot less eventful. Nevertheless, Matthew couldn't repress a sigh of satisfaction when his feet touched the wooden deck of Downton's train station. It was very late so he wasn't surprised to see that the welcome committee boiled down to only Pratt.

He helped Sybil to get off the carriage. The young woman was exhausted, more by the tears she had shed for the last two days than by the lack of sleep and appetite. Matthew never stopped to insist heavily for her to eat a little bit at each meal, saying that her daughter needed to get her mother back in good health but nothing worked. Sybil had systematically just nibbled a few things to please him. It was as if something had shut down in the young woman and, although he knew the cause of it, he hoped she could overcome her sorrow one day.

They went in silence to the car as Pratt was loading their suitcases in the back then, the car started slowly on the road. Sybil, her head against the car's window, was looking at the little bit of landscape that was passing by and that she could make out despite the night thanks to the moonlight. She could feel Matthew's eyes on her but she was trying her best to ignore it. In the train, as he was asleep and she couldn't find her sleep, she promised herself one thing: not to break down in front of her family, not to show them how much she was overwhelmed. If everything had worked the way it should have, Tom would have been there with her and they would have been about to get back to their daughter who was waiting for them. But her life had turned for the worst since the minute this awful man had told her the man she loved was dead. She was coming back home alone, distraught, not knowing how she was going to be able to move on with her life without him. Nevertheless, she knew she had to do it for him but mainly for Eirin.

She should feel light, relieved even to come « back home ». But the thing was that Downton wasn't her home anymore since Ireland had adopted her, even less now that Tom was buried hundred miles away from here. She sniffed and shivered slightly when she felt Matthew's hand close around hers. Why did he have to be so nice with her? So careful? She knew he made a promise to Tom but all this consideration just exacerbated what she was feeling. Feeling tears coming fast again, she quickly pulled off her hand from Matthew's and put them on her lap. They were almost at Downton now and she had to rebuild her walls to confront them. She will have the time later to cry when she'll be hiding in the privacy of her room. But for now, she had to face the looks of compassion from her mother and sisters and the conceited look, she knew it, from her father. Maybe he'll be the only one to not regret her husband's absence at her side.

Maybe not immediately but she knew that, one day, when her mourning was over (if ever), her father would say : "I told you so ». She was certain that her father would let her know that he wasn't surprised by the turn of events, that with Tom and his ideas, the worst had to be expected, that nothing good could come from this relationship. But when this day will came, she already knew that she would not be able to bear it. She had loved Tom with all her heart. She had loved the life, the freedom he had shown to her. And this happiness, all this happiness even for a brief amount of months. So, when her father would allow himself to spit his venin on her husband, she knew exactly what she would do. She would defend him fiercely like she already done it after the Rippon's incident. Except that this time, she would carry on with her threat. She would tell her father what was on her heart and she would leave. She would take her daughter and leave forever this house that was about to swallow her again.

The car stopped suddenly and Sybil realized they were parked at the bottom of the front steps. She shivered, remembering the events that had taken place there, a few days ago.

"Are you ready?" Asked Matthew.

She glanced towards the door to see Carson standing there with all her family. She nodded to Matthew and took a deep breath.

"Let's go. The sooner the better."

She let Pratt help her to get out, her heart squeezing while remembering that a few years ago, when Tom was the chauffeur, her hand in his, this light comforting touch was illuminating her days.

She went up the few steps followed by Matthew and meet, as expected, the sympathetic looks of her mother and sisters. Her mother took her in her arms and she let her, surprising herself for not being overwhelmed by tears. When she pulled away after a few seconds, she turned to her father. He opened his mouth to say something but, after a heavy glare from Mary silently telling him that now wasn't the time to speak his mind, he seemed to change his mind. He succeeded in a smile to Sybil and chose a neutral « welcome home ». She answered by a slight nod before following her mother into the house.

"How is she?" Asked Mary to Matthew as they were hugging.

"Not so well. She didn't sleep a wink since the news and barely ate anything for days. I hope that to seeing her daughter again will help her to get better."

"I'll call Dr. Clarkson in the morning. And you? How are you?"

"It was hard, Mary. This place where they should have Tom locked, it was…it was just horrible. If hell exists, I'm sure it's pretty like this place. But Sybil surprised me. She had been so strong, so strong."

"I still can't believe that Tom won't come back", whispered Mary." I can't imagine how I would react if I was her."

"They said he tried to escape but…I don't believe it."

"What do you mean?"

"These men, when they came to arrest him, they were pretty aggressive. And Tom, I don't see why he would have taken the risk to escape after surrendering without resistance. That doesn't make any sense."

"The fear to be locked away, maybe?" Proposed Mary.

Matthew shook his head.

"I don't think so. He wouldn't have taken such a risk, not with Sybil and Eirin waiting for him here."

"So what? Do you mean he has been simply…murdered?"

"Yes, I mean…Unfortunately, I think that Tom was at the wrong place at the wrong time. These men were clearly looking for revenge. Someone just gave them the opportunity to do it with impunity. But I want to find the truth about what happened."

"Tomorrow, My Dear," said Mary while patting his back. "There's nothing you could do at this time of the night. You'll see more clearly after a good meal and a good night of sleep."

"Yes, tomorrow, sighed Matthew following his wife into the house."


	7. Chapter 7

_Here we go. A short one but I promise the next one will be much longer. Thanks to keep reading despite the long wait between chapters. I'm doing my best. x_

They were back home for two weeks but things seemed to be the same. Sybil was spending most of her time locked in her bedroom with her daughter, getting out only for brunches (she took all her other meals in her room) and for the daily walk with the baby carriage. At least, she was accepting to eat a little bit. Matthew, for his part, had tried to find out what had really happened to Tom with the help of several of his work relations but, for now, he was facing a wall and, at the best, some vague answers. As for the rest of the family, they were trying their best to do as if nothing had happened, Robert however didn't mind to throw a few picks towards his late son-in-law each time he could.

This morning the mood was as usually rather morose. Each people had their noses in their plates and only a few banalities on the weather were said. The heavy silence was shattered by the impromptu arrival of Alfred.

"Mr. Crawley ? There's a delivery man at the door with a rather big box. He says it's for you from Ireland."

"It's there already? Wonderful!" Exclaimed Matthew, smiling.

Mary frowned, wondering what could possibly cause her husband to really smile for the first time since his return from Ireland.

Matthew wiped his mouth and threw his napkin on the table while getting up.

"Go inform Lady Sybil, please. Tell her it's here, she'll understand."

Alfred nodded his head and left, letting the others people the task to throw wondering glances to Matthew.

"You'll see, it's beautiful!" He exclaimed. "And I'm sure it can help Sybil to feel better a little bit", he added, heading to the main entrance.

"Well, my curiosity is at its height", sighed Robert getting up himself.

Everybody got up to follow Matthew and the family was soon gathered in the hall in front of a big box that was occupying the place of honor in the center. Having foresighted as usually, Carson was armed with a tool and held it out to Matthew.

"May I let you the honor, Sir?"

"Yes, Carson, thank you. But we're gonna wait for Lady Sybil."

As soon as he had finished his sentence, quick footsteps could be heard in the big staircase.

"It's here? It's really here?" Exclaimed Sybil, her cheeks red for having run.

She was still wearing her dressing gown, her hairs loose on her shoulders and Robert couldn't contain his eye roll seeing she was also still wearing this ugly and deformed wool vest over it.

"Please, Matthew, hurry up, open it!" She moaned while clapping her hands.

Matthew laughed seeing Sybil's happy face and Cora felt her heart squeeze while seeing her baby girl smiling at last. She didn't know what this box was holding but it had the merit to put some life in her baby's body.

Matthew put three brief hits on the box and the sides opened. Sybil helped him to retrieve the other sides to finally reveal the cradle that had left Dublin to be now in the Downton Abbey's main hall. Sybil checked it quickly, letting her hand slide on it with some nostalgia.

"It seems to be in one piece", she said softly. "Oh, Matthew, thank you, thank you so much. You kept your promise."

She threw herself in his arms to hug him and Mary felt a pang of jealousy in the pitch of her stomach. Since their Irish trip, her sister and her husband were very close and, even if she knew everything was innocent, she couldn't help to feel envy. Matthew was the only one to whom Sybil confide since their return and the family had agreed that it was ok for now.

"It's a cradle", said Robert after a few minutes. "Why all this fuss for a cradle? You already have one in your room, isn't it?"

Sybil left Matthew's arms and turned to her father, her smile vanished.

"Tom made it for our baby."

"Well, good for him but it had probably cost a lot of money to bring it here", answered Robert, turning to Matthew with his eyebrow raised.

"Robert"…warned Cora, putting a hand on his arm to tell him to stop.

"I wanted my daughter to have something to remember her father by", said Sybil with greeted teeth. "Is it such a bad thing?"

"No, it's your right. I just say..."

"Alfred is gonna help me to bring it to your room", interrupted Matthew while nodding towards Robert to tell him to drop it.

"Thank you, Matthew," answered Sybil smiling to him." I'm sure Eirin will be more than glad with her new cradle. She will now have a little piece of her father like I have mine", she added, squeezing the wool vest around her.

After throwing one last knowing glare to her father, she turned and get up the stairs with her chin high and proud.

"Was it really necessary, Robert?" Asked Cora.

"What? Can't we give our opinion in this house anymore?" He pouted.

Cora sighed and went back to the dining room to eat the last of her breakfast, followed by her two other daughters.

"She's happy for the first time in a long time. You have to learn to put some water in your wine", she said over her shoulder. "Or you'll end up saying something you will regret someday."


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the delay but TRAPPED just got in the way ! LOL A few more chapters before the end. Enjoy ( well, I hope so ! ) xo**

**A few weeks later…**

Robert went in the library with a steady step. His wife and his two older daughters were gone to the village to do some shopping, Sybil was probably locked in her bedroom keeping going over her memories so he wanted to take advantage of the peace in the house to answer a few letters he had neglected for too long.

However, he stopped in his track when he saw his youngest daughter curled on the sofa near the fireplace, reading. She seemed to be unaware of his presence, lost in her book. He took a few seconds to watch her, these moments being very few lately because she was spending most f of her days locked in her bedroom. Even if maternity had changed her, she was still his little girl to him. But her face was slightly hollower than before, her eyes with rings under them due to the tears and lake of sleep, the fault to this damned Irish chauffeur in his opinion. And still, she was wearing this damn vest… He could easily admit not to make special effort to show any sadness to the disappearance of his son-in-law even if his daughter seemed to struggle to get over it. He still couldn't forgive Branson to have put Sybil in this position, to have inflicted her such things even if his daughter didn't resent her husband. And it never bothered him to make his opinion known each time he could, what that sometimes get him into troubles with Cora.

"I'm surprised to find you here", he finally said after clearing his throat to show his presence.

Sybil jumped slightly and looked up from her book to see her father.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

"It seems rather thrilling", he answered nodding towards the book she had in her hands.

Sybil sighed.

"Fairly. I decided to read all the books that Tom had borrowed when he was working here. The ledger is helping me. This way, it's like he's still with me a little bit."

"I see."

"I know it's difficult for you to understand but…"

His father interrupted her with his hand.

"You don't have to explain. I'm just happy you have decided at last to join the outside world."

"I'm just taking advantage of Eirin's nap. I'll go up when she'll wake up to take care of her."

"You know, you don't need to do this. We could also hire a nanny to take care of her. That way, you could use your time as you like."

"My daughter IS how I like using my time. Tom and I wanted to take care of her and raise her by ourselves. There is no reason to do it otherwise now."

"In the contrary, let me object to that. You're alone now. You don't need to sacrifice yourself if you don't want to. Your husband isn't here anymore to order you what to do, you can decide by yourself."

Sybil rolled her eyes and tried to contain the anger she was feeling growing in her.

"That's where you're wrong, papa. It's not a sacrifice. And if I'm doing it, that's because I want to. And for your own knowing, Tom never imposed anything to me. It was a mutual decision."

"I'm just trying to make your life easier, that's all."

"If I made a child, it's not to see her raised by someone else."

"You had a nanny then a governess. That's not why you had lacked of our love."

"I never said that. But times are changing and I would just like to see you accept the decisions I make regarding my family."

"Very well, very well", sighed Robert." Do as you like".

He went to his desk and sat down.

"You don't mind if I'm working while you're here?"

"Not at all. Make yourself at home", answered Sybil, trying to hide a little satisfied smile.

Silence settled down between them as Robert was writing a letter and Sybil read again. But a few moments later, he stopped, wanting to take advantage to be alone with his daughter to clear some points.

"Sybil ?"

"Hum ?" She answered without looking up from her book.

"Did you…did you think about what you are going to do now? I mean…now that Bran…I mean Tom isn't there anymore?"

"Actually, I'm thinking about it. I have some projects but nothing sure. I have to discuss them with Matthew."

"With Matthew? And why not with your mother and I?"

Sybil sighed and put down her book, definitively abandoning the idea to read, her father seeming to be in the mood of chatting.

"Because I'm not sure you would understand."

"Well, thank you for the vote of confidence", retorted her father, slightly hurt.

Sybil sighed again and got up to join her father near his desk.

"I want to work again but I want to wait for Eirin to be older."

"Working? But you don't need to work. We can perfectly…"

"You see why I didn't want to tell you anything. I know I don't NEED to work, that you'll take care of Eirin and me if necessary. But I WANT to work because it's part of me. I need it to be truly happy. I need to feel useful."

"All these ideas your husband put in your head", said Robert shaking his head.

"Once again, you're wrong. Tom never put these ideas in my head. It had always been in me. He just revealed it and allowed me to believe it was possible. That I could have a different life from the one that was waiting for me if I stayed at Downton. I never wanted to be only a wife and spend my days changing or drinking tea."

"You have a very reduced vision of our lives."

"Really?"

"Where do you want to work anyway?" Asked Robert. "I'm not sure there is a lot of work for a single woman with a child in the area. You'd better find yourself a good husband…"

"I never said I wanted to stay here", interrupted Sybil.

Robert turned sharply towards her.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I want to go back to Ireland…one day. It's home over there now. I could live alone and work."

"It's out of the question, I wouldn't allow it", said Robert losing his temper and getting up to pace.

"When will you understand that it is my life?!"Shouted out Sybil, feeling tears coming to her eyes. "You don't have to tell me what to do nor where to live. I'm doing what I want."

"Now that your husband abandoned you, you have to accept the help of your family", retorted Robert.

"Tom didn't abandon me!"Screamed Sybil. "Stop to pass him off as someone is not. He had been cowardly killed! And even murdered according to Matthew."

"Nonsense ! He tried to escape his responsibilities without thinking about his wife and daughter!"

"You didn't get over there", retorted Sybil." You didn't see how it was. Even if he had reached the prison, he would be dead anyway. There are things happening in there that I don't even want to try to dare to imagine."

"Stop to defending him like this. You have to open your eyes and accept the fact that you were wrong and that you made a mistake in marrying him."

"Never! I'll never say that because, even if we only had been married a short time, I had never been more happy than with him. To marry him will never be a mistake. And even before our wedding day, when we were just friends, I was happy. Happy to have finally found someone in this house who was listening to me and who was hearing what I have to say. Someone who was treating me like a real person."

After this monolog, Sybil, short breathed, looked at her father straight in the eyes, ignoring the tears that were now running down her cheeks. Robert was watching her, stunned, not knowing what to answer to the ardent passion of his daughter.

"And you know what? She added more softly. I know that I have to lean on my family to help me now that Tom is gone. But I also have a family in Ireland. And I know that I can count on them. They welcomed me with open arms when I wasn't welcome at home anymore. They didn't know me, they had some reserve at first but they never made me feel like a stranger unlike my own family. And I want Eirin to know them. I want her to know these warm people, her father's family. I want her to know her other grand-mama who had been there for me when I needed it, I want her to know her uncle, the one who gave me away at the church when my own father had been too snob to even deign to come at my wedding, I want her to know her uncles and aunts, her cousins. Ireland is a part of her and a part of me, whether you like it or not."

Hearing his daughter telling him all these things, confronting him to his past acts distressed him. He didn't realized at this time the impact that his decisions had had on his daughter but he understood now that acting like this, he had lost her a little bit. He refused this wedding that was for him a shame thrown on his family and his title. But in this absolute fight to keep appearances, he lost his daughter.

Sybil was watching her father. She had, at last, said her mind and felt free somehow. Tom had often tried to push her to tell her father how much her parent's absence at her wedding had hurt her but, until now, she hadn't found the courage. But today, as her father and her mourning had drove her into a corner, she had dared. And she was feeling even lighter for it. She was now waiting for her father to say something, to apologize maybe but she only saw his scowling face, watching her with a haughty look. She realized then that he'll never understand her point of view and it saddened her highly but, as weird as it was, she wasn't overwhelmed by it either. Discussing like that with her father opened her eyes and she was now decided to find back the life that Tom had offered to her. She'll wait for Eirin to be bigger but she was sure now that she'll be back to Dublin. Yes, this maybe wasn't very conventional but she'll be a working single woman with a child. She could do it and she was sure that Tom, wherever he was, would accept her decision.

Relieved to finally have a goal that allowed her to bear the long months she had to spend in Downton while waiting for the right time, she straightened her shoulders, wiped her tears and addressed her still silent father with a neutral voice.

"I think we said it all now. If you want to excuse me, I'm gonna go take care of my daughter."

Without waiting for an answer, she turned away and left the library with steady steps, leaving her father dejected but with her future ahead of her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Nine months later…**

Strong from the decision she made after the stormy discussion with her father, Sybil had waited patiently for days, weeks and months to go on. Her daughter had turned one a few weeks earlier and she knew now that her departure from Downton wouldn't take a very long time. One more year at the most. Even without Tom, she knew her place wasn't in her childhood's house anymore.

Her parents had tried in their own ways to reason with her. They never said anything directly but they made more or less tactless suggestions on what she should do. They had even tried to throw Evelyn Nappier in her arms.

Sitting now on a bench under the shade of a big tree in Downton's park, Sybil was looking tenderly at her daughter who was trying to catch a butterfly. Unsteady on her little legs, she was staggering more than walking on the green grass while shouting happily with each new step she took without falling. Eirin just turned one and Sybil couldn't help herself to think how fast time seemed to pass but also, paradoxically, how slowly.

It's been nine months since Tom had been taken away from her. Sybil was enjoying a little bit of life again even if the pain was still there in her heart and she knew that it would never disappear completely. A part of herself had been suddenly ripped out of her and no one never could ever heal from that. But what hurt the most today was that she was watching her daughter growing up alone. Tom wasn't at her side to share with her all these moments. The first smiles, the first « words », the first laughs and of course, the first steps. She was living all this alone and that was maybe her biggest regret.

Eirin picked up a daisy with her little chubby hands and got up unsteadily by pushing on her arms, her diaper-covered buttock in the air. The concentrate look on her face while doing this made Sybil chuckled: her daughter was so wilful! Once completely up, Eirin staggered toward the bunch to end her way in the gentleman's legs who was sitting next to Sybil. She held the daisy out to him with a proud look.

"It's for me? Thank you Lady Eirin."

Eirin chuckled before running to hide in her mother's dress. Sybil then turned to the man and smiled at him politely but with a pinch in her heart. This flower should have been for Eirin's father, a present from a daughter to a father and not for a man she barely knew.

At first, she had resented her parents for almost having thrown Evelyn Napier on her path. Of course, she had been stubborn and had given him the cold shoulder. But his patience and her loneliness had finally took the best and it was now with pleasure that she was accepting his presence even if she knew she could never fulfil her parents' desire to see her marry him.

Her decision was made. She'll would go back to Ireland when Eirin would turn two and the Machiavellian's plans of her parents wouldn't happen. She had nothing against him, but she didn't want to remarry. Not now anyway even if she knew it wasn't good to say never. The attentiveness of the man was more evident however, he was apparently under her charm. He had even kissed her awkwardly a few days ago but Sybil hadn't felt a thing. She had just pushed him away, telling him that she wasn't ready for such demonstrations. But she knew that, pushed by her grandmother and family, Evelyn wouldn't be long to propose to her. And Sybil was already dreading the stormy discussion that would probably take place after her refusal with her family.

But she didn't want him, or anyone else. She just wanted Tom, and Tom she couldn't have. As her daughter was reaching for her to get up on her lap, Sybil was overwhelmed by a wave of melancholy. She caught her daughter and placed her on her lap before squeezing her against her chest. One year…they just had one year of happiness…

Since the birthday of her daughter, this melancholy kept going on in her during days or nights, sometimes both. She didn't know why but the waves were bigger and more frequent lately. To say the truth, since yesterday, this melancholy hadn't left and, by remembering the incident, she was wondering if, maybe, she wasn't losing her mind.

The day before, Evelyn took her to the bookshop in the village to buy her a gift. He did insist on it, wanting to do something special for her daughter's first birthday. And as he was still looking for her good favour and that he knew how much she liked books, he decided for the bookshop. Sybil had got out of the shop with a book about Ireland's history and, if Evelyn didn't approve of her choice, he didn't voice it.

As they were waiting for the chauffeur to bring the car, Sybil had risen on her tiptoes to kiss Evelyn on the cheek as a thank you for his present.

And that's when she saw him, over the man's shoulder: a figure so familiar and so foreign at the same time but especially piercing blue eyes with…pain inside?

Surprised by this unexpected vision, she had blinked but, when she had reopened her eyes, the figure had disappeared. Sybil had stopped breathing for a few seconds. Was it possible? Did she have just dreamed? And as Evelyn was talking, she was pretending to listen while trying to calm the storm she was living inside, her eyes scrutinizing endlessly the place where "Tom" had appeared to her, praying for him to appear again. But the car had come. Evelyn had helped her to go in and they were leaving, leaving her with a feeling of abysmal emptiness, like she had just lost Tom all over again.

And this feeling of pain and melancholy hadn't left her since then. Her body was at Downton but her mind was elsewhere. It had stayed in the village, still wondering if she had dreamed or if she…?

Cries from her daughter brought her back to reality and she excused herself to Evelyn.

"I think this young Lady need a nap and I think I'm going to join her."

Evelyn stood up.

"I'll see you tonight at dinner. Rest well."

Sybil absentmindedly smiled back at him and nodded. How could she rest as the picture of Tom or rather the picture of his pained eyes would haunt her she was sure for a long time? Her mind was probably sending her a message but she didn't know why. Why Tom's picture appeared to her when she was kissing, even only friendly, another man? She didn't understand…but she didn't want either for this vision to take the best on her. It had overwhelmed her, bringing back a lot of feelings. But she couldn't be overwhelmed, she had to be strong and face the world: for her daughter and for her project. And, it happened only once even if she often had the reflex to turn around after a funny thing made by her daughter to share it with him only to find an empty spot next to her. Only once he had appeared to her so clearly…but it didn't mean that she was losing her mind as well.

Sybil took a big breath before entering the house, the look of her late husband dancing in her mind. But what she didn't know was that the look of this same man was on her again right now, watching her…


	10. Chapter 10

**I just realized that, somewhat, the title gave me away...:)**

When Sybil's figure had disappeared inside the house, the man hiding behind the big oak sighed. He had to leave now. He had come with a precise goal and now that it was done, he had nothing left to do on the Downton's estate land. He let his eyes slide for a few minutes on the big house and its outbuildings, as if he wanted to memorize the place that had sheltered both his biggest joys and his biggest pain.

"Can I help you?"

Matthew's voice made him jump and, without turning to it, he went away rapidly with big steps.

"No, I'm leaving", he stammered while trying to hide his accent.

"T…Tom ?" Asked Matthew.

Realizing he had been caught, Tom turned around slowly towards his friend who was staring back at him with wide eyes.

"Oh My God, Tom. Is it you? Is it really you?" Stammered Matthew not believing it.

He had to confess that he had the biggest trouble in recognizing his sister-in-law's husband in the man standing in front of him. He had lost a lot of weight, his figure emaciated and the beard that was covering the lower area of his hollow face especially made him almost unrecognizable. Fortunately, his two big blue eyes were talking for him.

"It's me", answered Tom with a defeated voice.

Matthew came closer and put his hands on Tom's shoulders as if he was inspecting him and checking once again he wasn't dreaming.

"You're alive! Oh My God, I knew that this guy was lying! Sybil is gonna be so happy! Come on, you have a lot of things to tell us".

Matthew pushed slightly Tom by his shoulders towards the house but he resisted.

"No…Matthew, I can't."

Matthew stopped abruptly and turned towards him.

"What do you mean, you can't?"

Tom sighed.

"I can't go back over in there, not now, not ever."

Matthew frowned and looked at his friend.

"Are you on the run?" He asked.

Tom chuckled despite the circumstances.

"No, no, don't worry. I'm officially a free man but…it's just that…"

Realizing that anyone looking at the park could see them, Tom pulled Matthew by his sleeve towards the woods.

"Not here. I can't take the risk to be seen. Follow me."

Surprised by his demeanour, Matthew followed him however without any resistance and in silence. When they reached a clearing, Matthew couldn't wait anymore, he needed answers.

"I don't understand, Tom. What's going on? Why don't you want to go in? I would have thought that you couldn't wait to see your wife and daughter."

Tom looked briefly over to Matthew before resting his eyes on his own shoes.

"That's why I'm here. I wanted to see them again. Before I have to go back to Ireland."

"You're not making any sense", answered Matthew, shaking his head. "Maybe you should tell me everything from the start."

Tom sighed and finally looked at Matthew right in the eyes.

"And you'll let me go afterward? Are you promising not to tell anything to anyone?"

"I can't promise that, Tom. There are a lot of people who would be more than happy to see you again."

"I can't see them again, Matthew. Not after everything."

"I'm listening."

Tom took a big deep breath.

"I was there this day, you know. When Sybil and you had come to Kilmainham. I heard everything the Director told you. I tried to make myself heard but…they were too many."

"So…you were these infamous rats? "

Tom chuckled.

"Yeah, it was me."

"I had my suspicions".

"Whatever, I couldn't fight against them and I was so angry after myself for what I had made and what I was putting Sybil trough. I would have gladly fought to the kill with my bare hands this bastard if I knew how he would have treated her."

"She has been strong, you know. She didn't show him how much he had hurt her."

"That's my Sybil", answered Tom with a little smile.

There were a few seconds of silence while Tom seemed to be living the scene all over again.

"When you had left", he spoke again with a faint voice; "they all came to me at the same time. They punched me for hours so I ended up passing out. I don't know how long I've been out but what I know is that after that, there had never been one single day without them interrogating me the strong way."

"Had they, hem, tortured you?"

"At times…yes. But not right away. After a while, I don't know how long, they seemed to be bored with me or they found out a better client because I stayed a long time locked in my cell without seeing anyone. They gave me food but not on a regular basis and I finally lost completely my notion of time. The only thing that kept me holding, that prevent me from losing my mind was to think of Sybil and my daughter. To think that maybe, if I did get out of there alive, even if I didn't have high hopes at that moment, she would be there, waiting for me. Then, they came back. Blows started again until that, about one month ago, they kick me out. I didn't get any explanation, it just happened. They told me I was free and they threw me out of the door."

"A month ago? Why didn't you call? We would have come to pick you up!"

"I was completely disoriented and in a bad shape. I was sick; starving…I didn't want to be seen like that. And I would rather come back myself than to call. I drag myself to my mother's house who took care of me. She begged me to inform you but I didn't want to. I wanted to have my strength back before coming back here."

"And now that you're here, you just want to go away again? Without a word."

Tom sighed.

"Things are more complicated than I expected."

"I don't understand."

Tom looked back silently to the house of which the imposing outline could be seen through the trees.

"Sybil…"

"She'll be so happy to see you."

Tom shook his head.

"I was so impatient to see her. And to see Eirin. I was so happy that life was giving me a second chance, a chance to make up for my past actions. And then, yesterday, I saw her in the village with…with this man."

"Evelyn."

"I don't know his name. But I wasn't expecting to see her like that. I had all it planned out: coming today at Downton to surprise her. I had prepared a beautiful speech. And yesterday, I saw her kissing this man. She seemed so happy. I think she saw me…"

"She saw you. At least, she thinks she had a vision to be more specific. She told me about it when she got back."

"She told you?" Said Tom, surprised.

"Sybil and I had become very closed since…your disappearance."

"I'm glad she found a friend to talk to."

Matthew smiled at him.

"Why not go see her then? Why disappear again?"

"You don't understand? She was happy! I already broke her heart once; I have no right to upset her again when she had move on and get a new life."

"Get a new life? Don't you think you're a little bit dramatic about the whole situation? I won't say that Evelyn doesn't actually hope to get married to Sybil and that the Crawleys would be delighted with this wedding. But Sybil? Honestly, she's so far away from all this commotion. She only sees a friend in him. She's still your wife and will be forever."

"They seemed so…close. And I saw him, just now with my daughter."

"Listen, Tom. Stop to torturing yourself and trust me. Yes, Sybil will be overwhelmed to know you're alive but she won't push you away. She deeply loves you and never resented you for what happened. She's still wearing this vest she knitted for your first Christmas together in Dublin and she refuses that Anna wash it so your smell won't vanished."

"I can't believe it."

"You should. Because it never been in her intention to marry Evelyn. It's only a futile try from her parents to keep her close to them."

"I don't understand…"

"A few months ago, Sybil had a bad quarrel with her father about you and about her future. The thing is that after that, she told me she wanted to go back to Ireland when Eirin will turns two and to work while raising her alone."

Tom smiled.

"That's my girl."

"See. You would be wrong to let your chance pass. What would you have done if I hadn't caught you?"

Tom sighed, slightly ashamed now with the plan he had initially thought of.

"After seeing her yesterday at the village, I decided that I had to let her live her life and be happy without me, that maybe it would be better that way. So I decided to come here today to try to see my daughter. After that, I had planned to go back to the village. I have a train ticket to London for tomorrow morning and after that, I had planned on going back to Ireland."

"And never see them again?"

"And never see them again, that was my plan."

"Stupid plan."

"It seems so now. But I'm under the impression to have missed so many things with Eirin. She's so young and the last thing I want is to change her marks."

"They manage very quickly at this age you know. And you have maybe miss things with her but you still have so much to share. She's only one. And there are the others too…The ones who will come later…"

"You're probably right."

"I'm right."

"But I'm nothing anymore. I'm not the man she married anymore. This year locked away in a prison and what they did to me in there, all that changed me."

"So let her help you to be you again. You're still Tom and that's the only thing she wants, that's the only thing she needs."

The two men looked at each other a few moments in silence.

"You're truly a friend, Matthew."

"I hope so."

"So, what's the plan now ?" Sighed Tom.

Matthew looked at the house then at Tom.

"You entering the house with everyone in there could cause a really big commotion. I think it would be better if you could meet Sybil alone first. So that the two of you could get reacquainted with each other."

"Yeah, better be let down in private than with an audience."

"Stop it! Sybil won't let you down. "

"At last, I can give her the choice... "

"I don't know how you can be so doubtful of her when I have no doubt at all at how she'll react to your return. "

Tom shrugged.

"Like I said, prison changed me."

"Well, one night with your wife and I'm sure old Tom will be back", chuckled Matthew. "Anyway, where are you staying?"

"I took a room at the Grantham arms."

"Good. I'll find a way to come in the village with Sybil tomorrow after lunch. I'll buy her some pastry, saying I want to talk about something regarding Mary. She wouldn't refuse. I'll use this time to prepare her to your return. I'll tell her about what you said to me. I'll do it softly not to pressure her or to overwhelm her too much. You'll be waiting in your room. I'll send her to you after that and it will be your turn to maybe say the speech you told me you have prepared. Or to do whatever you want, maybe talking won't be necessary", added Matthew while rolling his eyes.

"And if she doesn't want to see me?"

Matthew rolled his eyes again, in annoyance this time.

"It won't happen but, in this case, you'll find me at the other side of your door and, maybe, I'll even let you cry in my arms if you want to," said Matthew with sarcasm.

Tom glared at him but with a hint of smile on his lips. The confidence of his friend about his wife's reaction was beginning to affect him.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow, then", Tom finally said.

"Yes, tomorrow. We should be there by two."

Tom stretched out his hand to shake Matthew's.

"Thank you for your help, Matthew. If I'm lucky enough, tomorrow will be a great day."

"It will be. And after that, you'll owe me so much that you won't be able anymore to refuse me a billiard game."

Tom groaned.

"Damned it."

Matthew laughed.

"I should go back inside before they send a search team. Goodnight, Tom."

"Too many emotions for one day and with tomorrow coming, I don't think I'll be able to sleep a wink."

"Well, you should. Because something is telling me that once you get your wife back, you won't be getting any sleep at all."

It was Matthew talking but Tom felt his cheeks becoming red. And his brother-in-law seemed to find this rather funny and was enjoying himself.

"Don't be embarrassed for God sake! Well, if you can't sleep, maybe you should take some advantage of your time by shaving this beard. I don't know if it's fashionable in Dublin but it makes you look quite scary! And we don't want your wife to run away like a scared rabbit won't we?"

Tom let his hand slide on his face with a sheepish look.

"It was a way to remain incognito in the village. It looks like it wasn't very effective."

"Well, no need to stay that way now...unless you like it of course."

"I hate it. It reminds me of the last year..."

"Get rid of it then. "

"I'll do it. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Tom", answered Matthew while watching the man leaving the clearing.

He sighed heavily, not quite believing yet in the turn of the events. But he was happy for her cousin and for the whole family of course. Tomorrow will be a big day and he had only a short time to find an excuse to bring Sybil in the village...alone.


	11. Chapter 11

_**OK, dear readers. The last time I posted a chapter, was bugging and any notifications has been sent. So, if you didn't read the chapter I posted last week, you NEED to read it before this one or you won't understand a wink. And don't read the last of this note...**_

_**For those who read it, you know that Tom is back and this is the last chapter with Sybil and Tom being separated. I promise you. And I promise you the next two ones ( already in beta reading ) will be like fireworks ! :) Well, at last, I hope you'll think so.**_

_**I'm shutting up now. Enjoy!**_

Pratt parked the car in the main street and Matthew helped Sybil to get out. She had hastened to accept his suggestion when, the night before, he had asked her to come with him in the village to buy something for the baby to come to surprise Mary. Sybil had seen in it a way to escape for a few hours from the constant attention of Evelyn Napier or the watchful eyes of her parents.

Matthew offered her his arm and she took it with pleasure, completely at ease with the friendly intimacy they were sharing since they came back from Ireland. They were chatting animatedly while heading to Mrs. Swann shop. When they got past the shop without Matthew seeming to notice it, Sybil stopped, forcing him to do the same.

"Didn't you want to look for some baby clothes?" Asked Sybil with surprise.

Matthew glanced towards the shop before looking back to Sybil.

"There's another place where I want to go before, he answered while starting walking again."

Still hanging up on his arm, Sybil couldn't do anything than to follow him.

"You know, Dear Cousin, there are not many shops in the village. I'm not sure you'll find your happiness somewhere else."

"I've already found it", he said, stopping in front of the Grantham arms' entrance.

Sybil looked up to the sign before looking back to Matthew with a raised eyebrow. She didn't want to make any assumption but…

"Matthew, I…"she hesitated.

"Don't worry, Sybil. This is in all good all honour. I just want to offer you a cup of tea and a slice of pie before going on with our quest."

"But we just eat…"

"You, refusing an extra slice of pie? I can't believe it…"

"I don't refuse", said Sybil pushing the pub's door open. "But I warn you, if Mrs. Patmore learns that you eat pie anywhere than at Downton, she could want to strangle you with her bare hands."

"Thank you for the warning", chuckled Matthew, following her inside.

They took place at a table in a quiet corner. Sybil took off her hat and put it on the table at her side.

"So?" She asked after they've been served. "What do you have in mind to surprise Mary?"

Matthew took a few seconds before answering while staring at her. He spend a long time this night thinking about the best way to tell her that her husband was still alive and was in fact right now just a few meters away from her. But now that the time had come, he seemed to have forgotten all his battle's plan.

"Matthew ?" She called softly, seeing he wouldn't answer to her.

"Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts."

He sighed.

"In fact, it was just an excuse. I wanted to talk to you alone far away from the prying ears of Downton."

Sybil frowned.

"You suddenly seem very serious. Is everything alright with Mary?"

"Oh yes, everything is fine, don't worry", he answered while taking her hand in his. "I wanted to talk to you about…you. You and your future."

"My future?" Sybil said tensing slightly. "You're not going to try to make me change my mind, don't you? I thought you were on my side?" She finished pulling away her hand from his.

"No, no, it's not about that. In fact, I wanted to talk to you about Tom."

"Tom?" She asked surprised. "Did you find out something at last? Had he been murdered like we thought?" She asked with eagerness.

"Not exactly", breathed Matthew. "I did find out something about Tom and his arrest. But not that."

"So hurry to tell me!" Exclaimed Sybil." You know how much I want to know what really happened this day!"

"So maybe, you should ask Tom directly."

Sybil suddenly put down her cup of tea and went pale.

"You're not funny at all, Matthew. "

"Good, because I'm very serious."

Sybil felt her heartbeat going faster, her heart beating in her chest like it wanted to escape it. Was Matthew trying to make her understand what she thought? She gulped.

"I don't understand", she softly said finally.

Matthew smiled at her tenderly and took her hand again.

"Tom's alive, Sybil."

_« Tom's alive »_: these three simple words were echoing in her head but she still couldn't believe it. However, Matthew's announcement was so unexpected that she had her breath suddenly took away. Tom, her husband, the father of her child, was alive.

"But…how ? Why…why isn't he here?" She gasped.

"He's here, at the Grantham Arms. Room 7."

Reflexively, Sybil turned her head towards the stairs leading upstairs. She knew them very well as well as the room 7. She had taken them several times some time ago when Tom had been dismissed from Downton and was waiting for her to be ready to leave for Ireland with him.

"But why didn't he come to Downton?" She asked while whipping her cheeks after tears had began to fall down. "Doesn't he want to see us?"

"He wanted to but things were different from what he was expecting. Listen, he's the better person to tell you everything but I'll explain shortly because it may help you to understand but also because I promised it to him."

Sybil nodded while crying silently, still under the shock caused by the news.

"He was there when we went to the prison. You remember the rats I'm sure. It was him trying to alarm us about his presence. He was kept in the other room. After that, he has been beaten and starved for months."

Matthew spared her the torture's details but Sybil quivered to her cousin's words while seeing very well what Tom had to suffer.

"He has been set free a month ago, without any explanation."

"A month? Why did he wait so long to come back?"

"He was sick and weak. His mother has got him back on his feet but he refused that she called us. He wanted some time to reconnect with himself before. Sybil, you had to understand he lived through hell over there. Tom changed; you have to prepare yourself…"

Sybil gulped.

"I understand all that, Matthew. What I don't understand is why we are here downstairs and why he's not here with us."

Matthew sighed.

"That's where the story gets complicated. I told you a few moments ago that things weren't what he had expected at his return. He wanted to come to surprise you at Downton. He even told me that he had prepared a beautiful speech but two days ago…"

"…he saw me with Evelyn at the village", finished Sybil lowering her head.

Everything was getting clearer now. He didn't want to see her again. He saw her with another man, so no wonder he was feeling betrayed.

"Yes", answered softly Matthew. "He saw you with him and he thought that, for once, you had listened to him and had gone on with your life. He thought you had started a new life, without waiting for him, like he had asked you to."

Sybil chuckled and shook her head despite the situation through her tears.

"After all this time; how can he still doubt my love?"

"You have to put things back in perspective, Sybil, and think about what he went through."

"I have lived through hell too!" She defended herself with vehemence. "That's not why I gave up or stopped loving him."

"That's not what he thinks at all. He still loves you and I made sure to make him understand that you still loved him too. I was right, wasn't I?"

"Of course you were!" Sybil took offence." I never had the intention to marry Mr. Napier and you know it very well!"

There was a brief silence before Matthew spoke again.

"Although, seeing you with Evelyn has been a shock to him and he thought that, maybe, it was better for you if he stayed dead. From his point of view, you seemed well and happy and he wondered if he had the right to come back and turn things upside down again."

Sybil opened her mouth to speak but Matthew stopped her with his hand.

"I know you are going to say: _« But how can he think that? »_ And I'll answer again, see things through his eyes. After that, he decided to stay dead and to go back to Ireland. But he wanted to see his daughter one last time first. So he went to Downton yesterday. That's were I caught him in the park as I was coming back from a walk. He just saw you with Eirin and Evelyn again."

Remembering the previous afternoon and what Tom had to witness, her heart squeezed while imagining very well what he had thought.

"So, if I understand correctly", said softly Sybil," if you didn't catch him yesterday, we wouldn't be there today. Tom would have gone back to Ireland without a word…"

"That was his plan."

"It's the stupidest plan I have ever heard", groaned Sybil.

"That's what I tried to tell him several times", chuckled Matthew.

"So…he's waiting for me?" She asked with a voice full of hope.

Matthew smiled.

"That's the new plan. I think that the two of you have a lot of things to say to each other and that's why I thought it was for the best to let it happen away from Downton."

"You a very valued friend, Matthew", said Sybil with a strangled voice. "I think I owe you my future."

"Let's just say that I was in the right place at the right time, that's all."

"Still."

Sybil got up and went to hug him. Matthew was surprised by such a display in public but didn't hesitate a wink before hugging her back.

"Go back to him", he breathed in her ear. "The poor man is probably going crazy in his room."

Sybil smiled and went to the stairs. She stopped after a few steps and turned to Matthew.

"What are you going to say to the House when you get back without me?"

"Don't worry about that. I already have an excuse ready. We met your friend Amy from the nurse school and you decided to spend the afternoon together to catch up."

"Thank you Matthew!"

"Oh, and of course, Amy," said Matthew while looking to the end of the stairs, "is invited for dinner tonight."

"Don't worry; I'll make sure myself she'll attend."

"Don't resent him too much, ok. And be patient. Tom needs to find his steps and his belief back."

"I'm a nurse, you know. I'll take particularly good care of him. Can I go now?"

Matthew laughed seeing her eagerness and made a sign with his hand to invite her to go. He shook his head and looked for money in his pocket to pay the bill. His duty was fulfilled and the responsibility of her future was now between Sybil's hands.


	12. Chapter 12

**Here the chapter everybody was waiting for. At last the few that still stick around. Thank you for still being there and posting reviews. I hope you'll enjoy it because this chapter is for you. I'll post a lighter version for those who doesn't feel like reading M-rated.**

For the umpteenth time since two o'clock, Tom looked back again at his watch. The wait was beginning to slowly make him crazy. He crossed his hands behind his back and began to walk again across the room. If he had to wait any longer, he was sure there will soon be a hole in the wood floor. Why was it taking so much time? Maybe after learning the truth, Sybil had run away and Matthew had to run after her to bring her back? He was looking at his watch once more when two knocks on the door made him jump.

_« That's it », _he thought_.__« I can't back down now. »_ If Sybil was on the other side of the door, there still was hope for a future. On the other hand, if it was Matthew…

Tom went to the door and took a deep breath. Whoever was here, it was time to his misery. He was taking the handle in his hand when there was a knock again, full of impatience.

"Tom ?"

Hearing Sybil's voice, Tom's heart beat faster and he opened the door with a sharp gesture, surprising Sybil.

"You came", he breathed.

He took a step aside to let her in and she went in with two big steps and her chin up in the air.

"Of course I came", she answered sharper than she intended to before turning to him.

He had closed the door behind him and was now leaning against it, eating Sybil with incredulous eyes. He still couldn't believe that she was standing there in front of him after all this time. They stared at each other a few seconds, as if they were learning to know each other again before that, moved by a same desire, they almost ran in each other's arms.

"Oh, My Love", breathed Tom, taking her in his arms. "I thought I'll never get the chance to hug you again."

Sybil squeezed him against her with almost despair before slightly moving away to look into his eyes.

"You'll deserve a slap for your stupidity", she said sternly, "but I'm too happy to see you", she breathed before crushing her mouth to his.

They kissed passionately for a long time, their tongues not losing time to fight one against another in a happy reunion. It had been so long…Sybil moaned when Tom pulled her closer to him, their hands wandering in a new discovery of their bodies. They then began a sort of dance in the room, a dance where they were the only one to hear the music. Sometimes, it was him who was pushing her against the door, sometimes, it was her who was leading him towards the bed.

When the lack of air was too important, they parted but just enough to be able to breathe. Tom plunged his head in her wife's neck, happy to have her smell back as Sybil let her fingers slide with happiness in her husband's blond hair.

"You let them grow down again", noted Tom softly.

As he was speaking, his lips caressed lightly Sybil's neck and she shivered from pleasure.

"You too", she chuckled, catching one on his lock of hair in her fingers.

"Sorry for that. Having a haircut wasn't one of my priorities."

"You lost weight too", she said more seriously while taking a step back to have a better look on him.

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, not wanting to spoil their reunion by digging deeper in the details of his time in jail.

"Nothing that 's cooking won't cure".

Sybil smiled at him tenderly before taking his cheek in her hand to look at him more intensely

"I can't believe that you wanted to leave us."

"I had my reasons", he answered while looking everywhere but in her eyes.

"I know, Matthew told me".

She forced him to look back at her.

"There's nothing between Evelyn and me, Tom. We're just friends."

"It's just that…"

He stopped talking, suddenly overwhelmed by emotion, realizing what he almost gave up. He felt tears coming in his eyes and turned over sharply and took several steps away, ashamed to not be able to contain the emotions raging in him. But it was without counting on the stubbornness of his wife. She went back to him and stopped behind him. She put a hand on his back and caressed it.

"We'll talk later. For now, why not just enjoy being together again, ok?"

He turned around and his blue eyes met hers and she was instantly pulled into the swirling storm of emotions in them. But he wanted to say it to her.

"It's just that it made me feel and think of things I'm not sure I have a right to."

"You have the right to think or feel anything you want", she breathed.

"Not where you're concerned", he replied softly." I should have trusted you and your love."

"yes, you should have. But you have the right to feel anything you want, especially where I'm concerned."

He gazed at her a long moment, loosing himself in her eyes and then, his expression twisted with something close to agony. His eyes shut as he very slowly lean in, brushing his lips across hers.

That brief contact meaning to express his love to her was enough to ignite a raging passion contained too long that instantly engulfed them both. He dragged her against him, his mouth coming down on hers, hot and hard and hungry. Her hands slip up the wide expanse of his chest, feeling the muscles still there ripple and contract beneath her touch. Threading one hand through the silky softness of his hair, Sybil tried to pull him closer as his tongue plunged into her mouth, tangling with hers in a frantic duel.

She was wearing a simple summer dress so all that stood between them was the thin material of his shirt and her dress and her breasts were pressed hard to the solid wall of his chest as he slide his arms farther around her and pulled her even tighter against him. His hands roamed her back and sides, before dropping to cup her bottom. He nearly lifted her off her feet as he pulled her hard against his groin. She felt the rigid column of his erection press against the most intimate part of her body that was already ready for him. Tom was as hard as steel and this simple knowledge made Sybil's insides twist into knots.

His breath already coming in gasps, he ducked low and wrapped one arm around her thighs, lifting her high into the air. His other hand pushed the top of her dress out of the way before dropping to fold around her, helping to hold her at just the right height. His mouth closed greedily over one breast, dragging a moan from her throat. Hands braced on his shoulders, she arched her back thrusting herself harder against his eagerly questing mouth.

His tongue rasped over the arching peak of her nipple, sending tendrils of agonizing pleasure throughout her body. She nearly came apart in his arms when he nipped at it gently.

"Oh God…Tom…Do you think you should…"

Whatever she was about to say was lost in a sharp cry of pleasure when he bit lightly at her tender skin. Then, very slowly, he let her slide the length of his body, the friction igniting a fire between them. The instant her feet touched the floor, she reached for the waistband of his pants but his hands came down on hers, stopping her as he took a half step back. He gazed down at her, his eyes suddenly somber. His chest heaved with his ragged breathing.

"This is not a good idea."

"What? Why not?" Asked Sybil not understanding why he stopped her so abruptly. "I know you want it as much as I do. We deserve it after all this time."

"That's one of the problems."

His hand tightened on hers when she tried again to tug at his waistband.

"I want you too much right now. My control his hanging by a thread that's about to snap at any second…I don't want to hurt you…and I don't want to scare you."

"You won't", she whispered. "I'm not some delicate flower you can crush. I'm strong and I want you just as bad. I'm not scared."

Tom chuckled despite his state of mind.

"I know you're not scared by making love with me, Love. It's just that…over there, back in Ireland…they did things to me and…"

Memories of what he had to suffer came back in a rush and he was struggling to go on.

"Matthew told me too. And I went there…I heard the cries."

"You don't understand", he said shaking his head.

"I know I can't understand exactly but you'll tell me when you're ready."

"No, what I want to say is that…what they did to me marked me. It marked my body forever…"

Understanding now what he meant, Sybil nodded and took a step towards him.

"Don't worry about that. I'm a nurse, remember?"

She bent down and Tom was wondering an instant what she was doing when he saw her disposed her shoes away before doing the same thing to him. He let her do it and, when she was done, she leaned into him and kissed him lightly but tenderly on the lips.

"Let me see, she said softly while reaching for his shirt."

Tom didn't protest and let her took his shirt off of his body. Her moves were slow and tender and it almost brought tears back in Tom's eyes. He was incredibly lucky to have such a wife. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even realize that Sybil had stripped him off his pants too and that she was herself just in her underwear. The touch of her soft hands on him brought him back to the reality and he stayed silent while she was inspecting his scars with as much tenderness as she could.

"Some are very nasty", she said softly while trailing soft kisses on his chest. "Some other ones are well healed. Your mother did a pretty good job."

A few more kisses on his skin.

"We'll take a better look tonight at Downton. I have some medicine to take care of it and they should be just bad memories in some months."

She looked up and met his eyes that were watching her with an unconditional love. She smiled at him and slid her arms around his neck.

"I love you", she breathed before leaning to kiss his mouth.

In that instant, Tom seemed to leave his state of lethargy and threw his arms around her waist to drag her against him. With a groan that rumbled up from deep inside his chest, his mouth crashed down on hers. She met his wild passion, thrusting her tongue into his mouth. He dragged her light chemise over her head, barely breaking the kiss long enough to do it, and tossed it aside. Taking the weight of her breasts in his hands, he molded the soft flesh. Her breath came in as a sharp hiss when he rolled the nipples between his fingers.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard a tiny voice telling him to slow down, to savor these moments the way he had always envisioned doing while he was locked away. But the voice was quickly drowned out by the raging torrent of desire roaring through him. Trying to control himself, he didn't feel Sybil's move and he was surprised when, with a quick shove, she thrust his underwear down and closed one hand over his throbbing shaft.

The moment she touched him, he nearly came undone. He couldn't stifle the half-groan, half-growl that escaped from his throat. Powerless to stop himself, he thrust hard into her hand, once, twice, before gasping and pulling slightly away, unable to stand the exquisite torture. But Sybil though otherwise and she dropped to her knees, ready to take him in her mouth but he stopped her quickly, taking a step back.

"Not today. I'm already too far. We need to slow down."

Not letting her the time to answer or protest, he pulled her back on her feet and swept one arm under her legs and lifted her. With two quick steps, he laid her down on the bed and stretched out beside her, looking her in the eyes. Bending down to kiss her mouth first then her neck, he used his free hand to peel her underwear from her. Once both naked, he began his exploration all over again. Starting with her earlobe, he kissed his way down to her throat then her breasts, sucking one nipple into his mouth as he rolled the other between his fingers. Arching her back, Sybil writhed beneath him. He went down then before stopping at her belly and sinking his tongue in her navel. Sybil moaned and was about to bring him back to her to kiss him but he went down again and she moaned loudly at the first touch of his tongue to the most sensitive part of her body, her fingers tangling in his hair.

"So, it's ok for you to do it but not for me", she half joked in a breath.

But not listening, Tom slipped one finger through the soft curls and found her wet and open to him. Sybil forgot her protestations when he slid one finger inside her, stroking slowly, caressing her from within as he continued to kiss and lick and nip at her until she was shaking with need. She opened even more to him instantly and he soon added a second finger.

"You're so tight", he breathed against her skin.

"It's been a long time", she breathed back while caressing whatever area of his skin she could reach.

Caressing her with long, slow strokes, he flicked his tongue on her clitoris. She gasped and bucked beneath him, throwing her head back against the pillows.

Her wild primal response was the most erotic thing he's ever seen in a long time, taking him in a level of excitement he wouldn't have thought possible. He knew that if he had the chance to be reunited with her it would have been amazing but what was happening right now was even more than that. Dragging kisses up her chest and throat, he claimed her mouth at last, his tongue echoing the thrusting of his hand. He could feel her whole body going taut.

"Do it", he whispered, kissing the soft skin under her ear. "Let go, Love. I want to watch you explode."

And she did.

His words rasped hoarsely in her ear send her straight over the edge of a taller precipice than she ever imagined. Sobbing his name, she twisted and writhed, helpless against his assault. He continued the exquisite torture until she thought she would go mad before finally slowing down and then gently withdrawing his hand.

He pulled her against his side, but she couldn't help feeling empty and bereft. Trailing a hand down his chest she let her fingertips ripple over his abdomen before dropping lower to close around him. He groaned and thrust instinctively into her touch, not pushing her away this time. Her hand slid lower, cupping him and squeezing gently before stroking her fingers up the full length of him.

Wrapping her hand firmly around him, she played him with the same long, slow strokes he had used on her…and got the same result. He twisted and writhed, his entire body moving in time with her strokes. She leaned up to kiss him just as he rolled to one elbow, his mouth coming down hard on hers. He thrust his tongue inside, unconsciously echoing the restless thrusting of his hips.

She let her hand drop lower again, cupping and squeezing. He let out a loud primal growl and she found herself flipped onto her back as he rolled to cover her body with his own. Kissing her deeply, he held himself above her on one elbow, letting his other hand slide between them to cup her breast. He fondled her gently until she began to press against his hand, flooded with a renewed and even more urgent need. He dropped his head, sucking each of her nipples into his mouth in turn for a quick, hard kiss before moving to take her mouth again.

He tore his mouth away, gasping.

"Please, tell me you're ready for me. I…I can't wait much longer."

"Do you doubt it?" She whispered back, moving her hips again his with provocation. "I'm more than ready. I've been waiting for it for one year."

His eyes locked onto hers, Tom slowly sank into the sweet world he never forgot. He tried to keep his eyes open but he just couldn't do it. The sensations flooding through his body were too intense. A part of him mourned the fact that he couldn't savor this moment forever but the need was too great. He had to move.

Drawing back until only the tip of him remained inside, he thrust deep, trying desperately to control the wild urge inside him. He was still afraid to let go completely, still afraid he would hurt her if he gave in to the driving need twisting his insides. But it had been a long time for the both of them and she met his thrusts, her whole body urging him on.

He increased the pace, thrusting wildly now. The deeper he plunged, the more she responded, raising her hips to meet him. Her strong but delicate hands were wrapped around his biceps, her nails sinking into his flesh.

"Yes", she moaned throwing her head back." Oh Tom, yes, like that!"

He dropped his head, kissing and nipping at her exposed throat as her hands slid down his sides to close over his backside, pulling at him, urging him faster and deeper. He felt the tension growing inside her and knew she was close to the edge. Rolling slightly to the side, he curled his back and lifted her breast to his mouth. His teeth closed gently over her nipple and she gave a sharp cry, bucking and twisting beneath him.

But soon, he abandoned the awkward position and plunged into her hard and fast, driving her higher and higher. She pulled him along with her, clenching around him with a great pressure that almost stifled the tide rising inside him but when the spasm freed him, he exploded inside her, rocked by a release more powerful than anything. Throwing his head back he groaned her name, holding himself buried as deep as he could go as he pulsed his soul into her.

His arms gave up suddenly and he barely managed to catch himself on his elbows and avoid crushing her. Burying his face in the crook of her neck, he fought for air, gasping as the aftershocks rolled over them both, travelling back and forth between their still joined bodies.

Her hands skimmed over the slick surface of his back as she lifted her head and kissed his shoulder. Though it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, he managed to lift his head, finding her mouth with his and kissed her deeply.

"My God, Syb, It has never been like that. What did you do to me?"

She smiled.

"Only the same thing you did to me."

Her internal muscles contracted suddenly, wrenching gasp from his throat.

"Syb!"

She laughed softly.

"Sorry."

He groaned and nuzzled her neck again.

"God, don't be sorry, love!"

He raised his head again, his gaze locking onto hers.

"I still can't believe I almost lost you. I was so wrong."

"Sh…"interrupted Sybil. "We'll talk later about that. For now…"

She raised her head towards him as if she was about to kiss him but, their bodies still joined and her legs around his hips, she turned them over suddenly with a force he didn't know she had so he was lying under her.

"…I just want to stay like this. Forever maybe."

Tom let out a little cry of surprise with this move but soon laughed soon to his wife's comment.

"It won't be very practical to work or take care of Eirin that way."

"Don't care", she muttered while kissing his chest and some of his scars. I'm sure we can manage something."

"I'm sure we do", he breathed back.

They then fell silent, losing themselves in the sensation of their bodies so close and their hands and mouths wandering on their skins. It was like their first time all over again, as if they couldn't get enough from one another.

After a few moments of silent caresses, Sybil felt him grow hard again in her and she stilled her movements to look in his eyes, surprised.

"Don't look at me that way", he said softly with wide eyes. "I'm as surprised as you."

"THAT never happened before", she answered with a little smile. "But it's nice, very nice…"she breathed.

"We have so much time to catch up."

"So why waiting to make love to me again, Mr.B ranson", sighed Sybil.

She raised herself up from his chest and put her hands behind her on his knees, arching her body lasciviously. Understanding they were on their way for round two, Tom let his hands sliding along her body to her breasts before going back.

"You lost weight too", he noted while letting his fingers caress each one of her apparent ribs.

"I haven't got a lot of appétit lately. But I'm sure it's about to change", she smiled at him.

She leaned back above him and put her hands on his chest muscles, looking longingly at him.

"So now, are you going to speak about nutrition again or are you going to make love to your waiting wife?"

"My God, you're insatiable, Mrs. Branson."

"That's because I've been starving for months for my husband", she breathed before capturing his mouth in hers.

Soon, the room was filled with moans, panting and groans as two lovers were discovering their bodies all over again. Passion was in the air…as well as a future full of promises.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Penultimate chapter people ! I can't realised I did it. I went to the end of this story despite my difficulties in writting in english soc yes, time for some autosatisfaction. This is another sexy chapter. Sorry for that but after all the wait I felt like they and we deserved it :) Thank you to those who reviewed and are still on this story with me. Enjoy !**_

The aftermath of their second encounter let them both tired, happy and satiated. At last for some time.

They were facing each other under the sheets, their hands lazily stroking the skin of the other one. Words weren't needed after what they had just shared.

"When do you want to go back to Dublin?" Asked finally Tom after a while.

"When you'll be stronger and completely healed. But also, I want to wait after the birth of the baby."

Tom's hand that was stroking her back stilled.

"A baby? What Baby?"

Sybil chuckled seeing his scared look.

"Not mine, silly! Matthew and Mary's one!" She said, slapping his chest.

"Mary's expecting?"

"Yes! She's due at the beginning of spring. But that means spending Christmas at Downton. Do you mind?" She asked softly.

"No, not at all as long as we are together. My mother won't like it but…"

"We could make her come here?" Exclaimed Sybil. "You know, to meet properly with Eirin before we returned."

"Well, at least we can try to ask her. But I don't want you to be upset if she says no because you know her. She won't feel very at ease in there."

"I'll write to her when the time comes and we'll see."

"You know, my mother isn't the only one who has to meet properly with Eirin. I'm sure she doesn't remember me. Tell me about her."

"She's the cutest little girl in the world."

"That's for sure; you don't have to tell me that. With both our looks and brains, she just can be perfect!"

"You're so full of yourself!"

Tom chuckled and kissed her soundly on the cheek to make amend.

"She's smart for sure", continued Sybil. "She knows what she wants."

"Hum, wondering who she got that from..."

"Stop it already or I won't tell you anything else."

"Ok, ok, sorry. I only saw her yesterday from so far away. Does she look like me or like her beautiful mother?"

"Well, everybody says she looks more like me but her eyes are definitively yours. It was difficult to look at her in the early months after your arrest. As soon as she was opening her eyes, it was like it was you looking back at me."

Sybil wiped a tear that suddenly had slid down her cheek.

"Aw, Love, I'm sorry to bring back that bad memories", breathed Tom while hugging her against him.

He kissed the top of her head before pushing away slightly to look in her eyes.

"It's too bad she's looking like you", he said the more seriously he could.

Sybil frowned.

"Because, I would have to lock her in her room until she's old enough so no horny boy can stole her from us."

Sybil looked at him with wonder before seeing a smile tugged at his lips and they both started laughing out loud, the action bringing happy tears in their eyes this time. When their laugh subsided, they looked at each other with adoration.

"I love you so much", breathed Tom.

"And I love you and don't ever doubt that, whatever the circumstances", answered Sybil, caressing his cheek.

"Promised."

They seal this confession of love with a kiss then Tom pulled her hand up and kissed it. Sybil reached out too and gently touched his cheek with the tips of her fingers as she gazed into his eyes. She stroked down to his jaw line and forward to his chin. Slowly she explored his face, brushing his forehead, his eyes, his lashes, his nose, his lips. She pushed him gently onto his back and leaned over him, running her hands up the sides of his face and into his hair, massaging his scalp as he closed his eyes in enjoyment.

"Tom?" She whispered, moving her hand down his chest.

"Yeah?" He whispered back, opening his eyes again.

"You remember our wedding night, when we finally made love for the first time?"

"More than vividly", he said.

"You know what was the best part for me?" She asked stroking a scare on his chest.

"Uh, I'm hoping the incredible sex?" He tried.

"Not exactly. I mean that was great", she smiled seeing his wide eyes. "But the best part for me was just finally being allowed to touch you. All those years, wanting to be able to touch you like that, but not having the right. It was the most incredible feeling of freedom to be able to touch you as much as I wanted, wherever I wanted."

Tom lay there a little stunned as she continued to move her hands across his chest and along his sides. He had never thought of it before, but he realized now that he had felt a similar satisfaction at being allowed to touch her like he'd always wanted to before. As he mused on this, Sybil moved her hands lower, skirting his groin and wrapping her fingers around his left thigh. She kneaded his muscles firmly, then repeated the action on his other thigh, purposely avoiding his groin.

"Uh Syb?" He said in a strangled voice.

"Yeah?"

"I want you so bad right now it hurts. "

"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that", she said, pulling him to her and fusing her lips to his.

Their lips and tongues danced as they stroked their hands down each others' bodies, revisiting all the spots they had touched before, reigniting the fire.

Pulling his mouth reluctantly away from hers, Tom moved a hand up to cup her cheek.

"God, I love you, Sybil", he whispered urgently. "You have no idea . . . "

"Maybe I have a little bit of an idea", she whispered back, touched beyond reason by his words and the look in his eyes.

A little bit of the urgency seeped away as she held his gaze. Tom slid a hand gently down her side to her thigh and hooked his hand behind her knee, pulling her leg over his. Never looking away, he ran his hand back up her thigh to her buttocks and slowly slid a finger between her cheeks to her center. She sighed and shifted as he touched her warmth, but she didn't look away, mesmerized by his gaze.

Finding her already warm and wet and ready, he shifted downwards slightly and slid into her, savoring the sensation and the gasp of pleasure from Sybil that his movement brought. Still looking into her eyes, he began to move inside her.

Sybil shuddered in pleasure as she felt him in her core. She swept her hands down his back and closed them around his cheeks, kneading them in time to his easy strokes. She wanted to close her eyes, to throw her head back, but she couldn't look away from him. So she hung on and stared into his eyes as he made slow, gentle love to her.

Tom could have looked into Sybil's eyes forever as he moved in and out of her, but his body wasn't so patient. Touching and being touched like they were before while chatting had brought him to a state of tautness, and each time he pushed himself inside her heat it pulled him a little bit tighter. Finally he couldn't hold back any longer. He pulled her against his chest and rested his head on top of hers as he thrust into her harder and faster, pulling her leg up higher against his hip. Then he froze, gasping as he broke apart inside her, filling her with his warmth as she held him to her.

For long moments they held each other close as he regained his breath. Then he pulled back and leaned down to kiss her.

"Tom, that was so…great", she breathed.

He gave her a long kiss. Then he stopped abruptly.

"But wait, you didn't come", he realized. "Oh, Syb, I'm so sorry. I was just so…"

"Shh. I don't but it doesn't matter", she told him seriously." It just felt so good. So right…so perfect. It…it felt like you loved me. "

He brushed her hair back from her face.

"I do love you", he told her. "That's why I hate this to be just about me. I want you to be satisfied, too. We both deserve it after all this time."

"I was satisfied", she tried to assure him. "Tom, it was different that's all. Plus, I hate to break this to you, but I don't come every time we make love."

She laughed as he looked aghast.

"But I always enjoy it. It always feels great to have you inside me. I mean, it feels great physically, not just emotionally. It's just that women aren't made the same as men. It's a little harder to make us have an orgasm. That's how we get you to keep trying", she laughed, nudging him.

"My illusions of being a fantastic lover have just been shattered", he said, shaking his head in mock shame.

"Get over it, Darling", she laughed. "And if it can comfort you, when I come, almost each time for your knowing, it's incredible", she finished.

Seeing that he looked unconvinced, she added.

"Unbelievable. Mind-blowing. The earth moves. The angels weep . . ."

"Alright, alright, I get the idea", Tom said, grinning. "But you know, today is kind of a special day and I just can't let it end like this. Come here", he said, turning her so her back was to him and pulling her against his chest. "I know for sure THIS works each time because you told me so", he whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

He stroked his hand down her front and then returned it to her breasts, lifting one and kneading it gently, plucking at the nipple until it was tight, then moving to the other breast. She sighed as he touched his lips to her neck. Moving his lips to her ear, he began whispering to her. Not the gentle, loving words of before, but hot, erotic words designed to arouse her.

"Love, I love touching you."

Sybil groaned inwardly. She was pretty sure Tom didn't know it, but hearing him speaking like this turned her on. Maybe it was because he didn't do it often when they have sex.

"I love touching your breasts", he continued. "They're so full, so perfect. Your nipples get so hard when I touch them. Just for me. I love wrapping my hands around them and lifting them to my mouth and hearing those sounds you make when I lick your nipples."

She was making them now even though his mouth was against her ear, not her nipples. So Sybil liked him to talk dirty to her, did she? He filed that information away. He picked up her hand and brought her finger to his mouth, sucking it, stroking it with his tongue, wetting it with his saliva. Then he brought it to her breast and circled it around her nipple and aureole. She gasped.

"Do you like that, Love?" He told her.

"You know . . . you know how I like to be . . . ohhh", she cried as he left her hand on her breast and moved his to the curls between her thighs.

"Ah, you're wet for me again. You're always so hot and wet for me. Do you know how that makes me feel?" He whispered into her ear." Like I'm the biggest king on the planet because you want me. Because I can make your juices flow."

"Only for you, Tom…"she mumbled.

He slicked his fingers through the moistness of her arousal and the remnants of his recent visit to her and brought them up to her clit, circling it and then stroking across it, over and over.

"Does that feel good, Darling?" he asked. "I want to make you feel good, like you made me feel. I want to make you hot, Syb."

"Oh, God Tom, she moaned. It feels so good."

His touch and his hot words in her ear were bringing her to a fever pitch. She shoved her ass against his groin and rubbed against him, feeling his reawakening arousal in the process. His hard length against her buttocks felt so good, and she kept rubbing against him, drawing a groan from him. Reaching between her legs, she grasped him and brought him between her legs, rocking against him to lubricate him with her moisture.

"Ah, Sybil, this is supposed to be for you", Tom ground out.

"It's for me, Tom, please, don't stop touching me", she begged, closing her legs tightly, trapping his shaft against her crotch and bringing his hand back to her clit.

She rocked against him as he resumed stroking her. She could feel his thick cock rubbing against every sensitive inch of her and she moaned, sensation piling on top of sensation. Tom began thrusting against her, groaning, but never stopping the pressure of his fingers.

It took just moments for Sybil to fly over the edge, crying out her pleasure. Tom rocked gently against her as she peaked, then pushed her shoulders forward and pulled her leg up and back across his thigh. He thrust into her as hard as he could, feeling the last of her contractions grabbing at him. The angle was a little awkward, but it didn't matter, because all he needed was a few strokes . . . he groaned and came inside her for the second time.

He pulled her back against him and sighed into her hair.

"See", he said when he could breathe again. "Wasn't that a nice way to end the afternoon?"

"I have to agree with you", she said, leaning her head back to kiss him. "That was a fantastic way to end the afternoon. Incredible, mind-blowing . . . "she added, only half kidding. "I never told you but I like it when you talk dirty like that, Tom."

She blushed and Tom chuckled, bringing her to him for a kiss.

"Well, at least it worked. I have to keep that in mind. Because, , there is no way from this day on that I ever make love to you again without you having a mind-blowing orgasm."

"Promises, promises", joked Sybil.

Tom pulled her then rolled them around in the bed so she was now lying on her back.

"I'm so happy I came back to you", he said seriously, looking down at her. "I'll never be grateful enough for Matthew to have caught me yesterday as I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life."

"We both owe him a great deal", she smiled, stroking his face.

"Yeah…"

He rolled on his back and took Sybil in his arms. She cuddled on his shoulder, stroking his chest with one hand.

"What time do we have to go back to Downton?" He asked after a few moments.

"Matthew said he was expecting us for Diner. "

Tom groaned.

"I don't want to face them…yet. "

Sybil pushed herself up a little and looked down at him.

"Look, we don't have to stay. We can just get back, say a quick hello then go to the nursery. I can't wait for you to see our daughter."

"I'm not sure your father nor would Carson like that. After being away for so long, it's a little bit rude, even for me."

"I don't care anymore what they're thinking or feeling. What's important is us, that's it. The rest is detail."

"If you're sure", hesitated Tom.

"I'm sure. And I think to remember that this room comes with a bathroom. So, what do you think? We quickly take a bath then go see our daughter?"

"You and me together in a bath?" Chuckled Tom." I don't see how it could be quick!"

Sybil threw the sheet away and got up, Tom following her naked body with hungry eyes.

"There's only one way to find out. Are you coming?" She called from the bathroom.

Tom laughed and decided to join her when he heard the water already running. There was no way he let her have all the fun alone.


	14. Chapter 14

When Tom and Sybil had finally succeeded in leaving their bedroom at the Grantham's arm, dinner's time had already started. The staff was busy serving and only the housemaids and Mrs. Hughes who were sitting and drinking tea in their room saw two giggling figures edging through the service hall.

"Wasn't it…?" Began Anna, stunned by the people she thought she saw.

"Sweet Jesus!" Exclaimed Mrs. Hughes, getting up to check she hadn't dreamed.

She came out just in time to see the couple running up the stairs and still giggling like two kids.

"Yes, I think it's definitively Lady Sybil AND Mr. Branson. Who knew", she sighed, sitting down again.

She shared a knowing look with Anna.

"I think that some people upstairs are about to have the surprise of their life", she breathed to the housemaid.

"I'm sorry I can't see that. I don't know why or how but I'm sincerely happy for Lady Sybil and Eirin."

"We both are", smiled the other woman.

At the same moment upstairs, the couple was entering the big hall to make their way to the dinning room. Sybil was about to open the door when Tom stopped her suddenly and took her in his arms.

"I want one last kiss", he breathed once she was against him.

"Why a last one?" Chuckled Sybil.

"Because", said Tom after placing a quick kiss on her lips." Once we're in there, you father could very well kill me for real."

"Don't be silly", she laughed, stroking his chest.

"I'm very serious, Syb. Your father didn't like me so much before and I'm not sure he'll like me more now that I'm coming back from death! And to top that, we're late for dinner".

Without waiting for an answer, he deeply kissed her. Sybil couldn't contain a long moan from satisfaction when his tongue met hers. After a few moments, they drew apart.

"We should enter now", she said with some regret in her voice." It won't do any better if Carson had the idea to go out now and find us like that."

"You're right. Let's go. The sooner, the better. So after that, we can go see our daughter…If I'm still alive."

"Everything will go well", answered Sybil, stroking his cheek. "And remember that I don't care about what they think."

Tom nodded his head and Sybil reached for the door's handle with one hand and for Tom's hand with the other one.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Ready", confirmed Tom with a slight smile.

Sybil opened the door sharply, ending the conversations that were happening in the room. Everyone looked up to see what interrupted them and eyes went wide when they saw the couple standing there.

"Good evening everyone!" exclaimed Sybil happily. "Sorry to be late but we had a lot of things to…catch up with", she finished while glancing saucily to her husband.

Tom felt his cheeks reddening in hearing the lake of subtlety from his wife and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Good evening, everyone. I'm sorry for the trouble."

"Tom!" Exclaimed in unison the women in the room.

"I'm back", he added with a slight smile to them.

"Yes, Tom is back", confirmed Sybil kissing him on the cheek.

Cora got up first and went to him.

"It's a miracle", she murmured shaking her head.

She opened her arms and Tom accepted the unexpected hug.

"Welcome back home."

"Thank you, Lady Grantham."

Mary and Edith followed their mother. Only the Dowager Countess and her son stayed sat down.

"You will please excuse me, Tom. But this entire bustle isn't good for my old bones."

Tom smiled at her and nodded. He then turned to Robert who seemed to find his plate more interesting than his son-in-law's return.

"Good evening, Lord Grantham", Tom said politely.

Robert nodded without looking at him before turning to Matthew who was trying to be forgotten.

"I understand that you knew about this unexpected come back", he said coldly.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Not for very long but yes, I knew."

"I see. May I suggest we all calm down and go on with the dinner?" He said, turning to the small group gathered near the door. "I'm sure that Bran…I mean Tom has a lot of things to tell us."

"Later, Father. For now, we want to go up and see our daughter. I can't wait for her to see her father", laughed Sybil.

Robert frowned seeing the merry face of his own daughter.

"Are you drunk, Sybil? You're acting weirdly. A true Lady would know how…"

"Yes, I'm drunk with love and happiness", she interrupted him, not wanting to hear the same speech all over again. "I have my life back and I can breathe freely again! Now, if you'd please excuse us."

She took Tom's hand in hers and began to move away when the rumbling voice of her father stopped her in her track.

"Sybil! You can't just come here like that with your presumed dead husband, interrupt our dinner then leave without any explanation."

Sybil challenged him with her look.

"Yes I can. And I will. My family needs to be together after what we went through this past year."

"I would like to remember you that we're your family too", replied Robert, hurt by his daughter's words.

"I meant to say, MY family. The one I choose", specified Sybil. "And if you want some explanations right now, then ask Matthew. He'll explain it all."

Robert's eyes went wide from his daughter's impertinence while the other people all had their eyes in their plates. The rest of the evening sounded like it would be rather tense. When Tom and Sybil had disappeared in the hallway, Robert turned to Matthew.

"Well? "

"Well, it seems like Matthew is gonna explain it all", he answered with an awkward smile.

After seeing his cousin so beaming, he really couldn't resent her for placing him in this position with his father-in-law. So, he sighed and looked up to Robert and the others and began with his story…

At the same time, a couple was going up the stairs to the nursery, hand in hand, running and still chuckling.

"It was rather rude", said a breathless Tom to his wife.

"I know. But I didn't want to hear the same old story all over again. It would have taken hours to my father and Granny to stop their rambling. And, it's a little true", she added as they were reaching the landing. "I feel like drunk from happiness."

She turned to him and kissed his lips.

"Now, stop complaining and let's go see our daughter."

"As you wish, milady."

Sybil rolled her eyes and pulled him after her to the nursery.

Tom was eager to see his daughter again but also worried about the welcome she would give him. He was, after all, like a stranger to her.

"Wait!"

Tom pulled Sybil's hand to stop her as she was about to enter the nursery.

"What's going on?" She asked, seeing his worried look.

"What if she doesn't like me? What if I scare her?"

Don't be silly! She'll like you. And I shown her pictures and talked about you every day. I'm sure all is going to go well. Come on now."

Comforted by his wife's certainties, they entered the room. They found the nanny seated on the floor and playing with Eirin and cubes. Seeing the dark curls of his daughter and her focused look, Tom's heart missed a beat. She was so cute. Hearing footsteps, the nanny looked up and smiled at them not without a startled move after recognizing Tom.

"Good evening, Mr. And Mrs. Branson", she said. "Look who's here, Eirin", she added, letting her hand slid in the little girl's hair.

Eirin looked up, upset for having been disturbed while with her game before a wide smile appeared on her face when she saw her mother.

"Ma !" She exclaimed before reporting her attention on the man standing at her mother's side.

"Hello, Sweetheart", answered Sybil, getting closer.

"Da" ! Exclaimed then Eirin reaching for him at the surprise of the three grown up.

Tom felt tears coming to his eyes because of his daughter's reaction and he thought then that all the hard work of his wife did pay: his daughter hadn't forgotten him.

"She seems happier to see me than your father", breathed Tom when he passed near Sybil to take Eirin in his arms.

The little girl chuckled from delight to be back in her father's arms and placed her chummy little hands on his face.

"Yes, My Darling, your daddy is back home."

Sybil, who was watching the action while standing a few steps back, felt the emotion grow in her. Her family was complete and together again and she seemed to just only realize it now. Since Matthew's announcement this afternoon, things had been so intense that she really hadn't taken the time to think about the consequences of Tom's return. Yes, they were finally back together. Her life had been given back to her: they were going to go back to Dublin and she will finally live the life she always wanted to with the man she loved. She discreetly wiped a tear and cleared her throat.

"You can have your night, Judith. We're going to take care of her from now", she said to the equally moved nanny with a voice more hoarse than usually.

The nanny nodded before adding:

"I'm sincerely happy for you all", she said even if she knew she probably just lost her work.

"Thank you, Judith."

"Thank you", answered Tom too.

He was now seated on the couch with his daughter on his lap.

Once the nanny was gone, Sybil took off her shoes and went to sit at her husband and daughter's side, curling her feet under her. Tom put his free arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

"You know", he said softly while making faces at his daughter as to start off this little giggling that he already fell in love with. "When I was in this cell and thought about what our life could have been, I was always seeing us like this: the three of us curled in front of a fireplace. Well, not at Downton I have to confess. But it's this picture of us that made me hold on."

Sybil gulped to make the lump of emotion stuck in her throat go down.

"Well, it's not a picture anymore", she answered kissing his neck. "It's the reality, and it's wonderful."

"Yes, it's the best feeling in the world", added Tom letting his hand slide in his wife's dark curls.

Seeing that the full attention wasn't on her anymore, Eirin cried her dissatisfaction and the two parents chuckled seeing her scowling look.

"Ok, little one", said Tom still laughing. "Do you want your daddy to read you a story before bed?"

Eirin squealed from delight.

"Alright, alright. Here we go, he said reaching for a book resting on the little table near the couch. What story do you want?" He added while going through the pages.

"You can read her anything", answered Sybil. "She's happy as long as she hears our voices. It lulls her to sleep. "

"Alright then…_"Once upon a time…"" _Began Tom.

When Matthew came up a few moment later, that was the picture he met. A loving family gathered in front of the fireplace, all squeezed together and all fast asleep. And that was warming his heart up. He once promised to look after them and he did. And it was a very satisfying feeling. He wished he could live some moments like that when his baby will be born, something so simple. But he doubted it. Even if he was sure Mary would be a caring mother, he knew deep down that because of her Lady status and the way things were handled at Downton, she would never allow herself something so familiar. And he would deeply regret it. But for now, he was glad for his cousin and his friend and was even gladder for what he had planned for them in Dublin. He knew that Tom will maybe fight it a little bit but, in the end, he would have no other choice than to accept it. Because, after all the troubles he had to go through with Robert downstairs, the two lovebirds here couldn't refuse him anything.

The life they always wanted was waiting for them in Ireland and Matthew was glad to help them a little bit to have it.

THE END

_**AN / I know that some of you were expecting angst but I just didn't feel like write it. I need some lightness after what they went through. Also I want to thank you all of you that reviewed/read/favorite this story. It's been quite a ride for me as a non English native. I almost give up a few times because of nasty and unconstructive reviews I've got but I'm glad today to have keep writing. I have a few ideas for an epilogue, mainly because of Matthew's surprise for them but I don't know when I'll have some time to put it on a paper. Thanks again. xo**_


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